At last it occurred to him to open the glass door that led into the park, and to call alternately Lelièvre and Noun, Madame Delmare's Creole maid. A few moments later Noun appeared from one of the dark paths in the park, and hastily inquired if Madame Delmare were worse than usual. "She is really ill," replied Sir Ralph. They returned to the salon and devoted themselves to the task of restoring the unconscious Madame Delmare, one with all the ardor of useless and awkward zeal, the other with the skill and efficacy of womanly affection. Noun was Madame Delmare's foster-sister; the two young women had been brought up together and loved each other dearly. Noun was tall and strong, glowing with health, active, alert, overflowing with ardent, passionate creole blood; and she far outshone with her resplendent beauty the frail and pallid charms of Madame Delmare; but the tenderness of their hearts and the strength of their attachment killed every feeling of feminine rivalry. When Madame Delmare recovered consciousness, the first thing that she observed was the unusual expression of her maid's features, the damp and disordered condition of her hair and the excitement which was manifest in her every movement. "Courage, my poor child," she said kindly; "my illness is more disastrous to you than to myself. Why, Noun, you are the one to take care of yourself; you are growing thin and weeping as if it were not your destiny to live; dear Noun, life is so bright and fair before you!" Noun pressed Madame Delmare's hand to her lips effusively, and said, in a sort of frenzy, glancing wildly about the room: "_Mon Dieu!_ madame, do you know why Monsieur Delmare is in the park?" "Why?" echoed Indiana, losing instantly the faint flush that had reappeared on her cheeks. "Wait a moment--I don't know--You frighten me! What is the matter, pray?" "Monsieur Delmare declares that there are thieves in the park," replied Noun in a broken voice. "He is making the rounds with Lelièvre, both armed with guns." "Well?" said Indiana, apparently expecting some shocking news. "Why, madame," rejoined Noun, clasping her hands frantically, "isn't it horrible to think that they are going to kill a man?" "Kill a man!" cried Madame Delmare, springing to her feet with the terrified credulity of a child frightened by it's nurse's tales. "Ah! yes, they will kill him," said Noun, stifling her sobs. "These two women are mad," thought Sir Ralph, who was watching this strange scene with a bewildered air. "Indeed," he added mentally, "all women are." "But why do you say that, Noun," continued Madame Delmare; "do you believe that there are any thieves there?" "Oh! if they were really thieves! but some poor peasant perhaps, who has come to pick up a handful of wood for his family!"