I was drawing him out in order to see how much he had guessed, when his colleague came out of Lord Gascoyne’s apartment and called him in. Coming along the corridor I met Esther Lane, seeking for news. I went towards her. Was it my fancy, or did she shrink from me? It seemed to me that she did, but I was in a weak, morbid state of mind, in which I was a prey to fears of my own shadow. It was a dreary trio that met round the breakfast-table. Lady Gascoyne did not appear, and Esther always took her meals with her charge, except when she was specially asked by Lady Gascoyne to join herself and her friends. One of the doctors came in, but brought only bad news. In answer to Mrs. Gascoyne’s inquiries he threw up his hands. “We do not know what to make of it, and——” He paused, as if afraid to go on. “Please tell us,” said my wife anxiously. “Well, of course, while there is life there is hope, but——” “You don’t think——” “I am afraid we must prepare for the worst.” There was a long pause. The two women were horrified. I rose and went to the window, as I knew not what guilt my face might betray. Suddenly the end came. A wail shivered down the corridors, and then, from where I was watching the bedroom door, I saw Lady Gascoyne led out by Edith. After a few minutes the two doctors came out, and in answer to my question, explained that all was over. I carried the news to Mrs. Gascoyne. She was terribly distressed, and asked me to wire for her husband, which of course I did. It suddenly struck me that it might be possible to obtain the decanter that evening at dinner. I supposed there would be dinner. There usually is, even at moments of the greatest stress. Curiously enough, the whole thing once over, I began to recover my nerve rapidly, and by the time Mr. Gascoyne had arrived I was quite myself. I did not know that, even at that moment, the junior doctor was conducting an examination into what Lord Gascoyne had eaten and drunk the evening before, and giving orders that everything which had been left was to remain untouched. I think such a knowledge would have tempted me to buy some means of retiring from the scene on an emergency. I had not even a loaded revolver. It was evident I was not the clever person I had imagined myself to be. Mr. Gascoyne could hardly believe the news. “Israel, it is terrible. There seems to be a curse on the family.” He was silent for a few moments, and then continued thoughtfully: “Israel, has it struck you what this means to you? Failing male heirs, the title descends through a woman. Your grandfather would have been the last male heir, therefore your mother would have succeeded as his heiress, and then you.” We had talked this over before, but I pretended to think of it deeply, as if it now presented itself to me seriously for the first time. “Of course, it has struck me, but the possibilities seemed so remote.” “They are close enough now. It would seem as if Fate had been on your side.”