"Your servant told me Miss Carey was ill," he said. "It was for her I asked." With a face of concern, he listened to what Miss Deveen had to say of the illness. When she spoke of Janet's fright at seeing the policeman at the Colosseum, his brow went red and he bit his lips. Next came the sleep-walking: she told it all. "Her brain and nerves must have been overstrained to an alarming degree," he observed, after a short silence. "Mr. Shuttleworth, who attended her at the time, spoke to me of the shock to the system. But I hoped she had recovered." "She would never have recovered, Dr. Knox, as long as the dread lay upon her that she was to be criminally prosecuted: at least, that is my opinion," said Miss Deveen. "I believe the chief thing that ails her is _fright_. Not a knock at the door, not the marching past the house of a policeman, not the sudden entrance of a servant into the room, but has brought to her a shock of agonizing fear. It is a mercy that she has escaped brain-fever. After all, she must possess a good constitution. The sight of that Lefford man at the Colosseum did great mischief." "It was unfortunate that he should happen to be there," said Dr. Knox: "and that the man should have dared to accost her with his insolence! But I shall inquire into it." "What you have in that box will be the best medicine for her," said Miss Deveen. "It will speedily effect a cure--or call me an untrue prophet. Dear me! how strangely things come out!" "May I be allowed to see Miss Carey?" asked Dr. Knox. "And to--to tell her the story of her clearance in my own way?" Miss Deveen made no reply. She looked at Dr. Knox, and seemed to hesitate. "I think it may be better for Miss Carey that I should, madam. For more reasons than one." "And really I don't see why you should not," said Miss Deveen, heartily. "I hesitated because Mr. Black forbade the admission of strangers. But--perhaps you are not a stranger to her?" "Oh dear, no: I and Miss Carey are old friends," he answered, a curious smile lighting up his face. "And I should also wish to see her in my medical capacity." But the one to put in her word against this, was Cattledon. She came down looking green, and protesting in Miss Deveen's ear that no male subject in her Majesty's dominions, save and except Mr. Black, ought to be admitted to the blue-room. Janet had no full dress on; nothing but skirts and a shawl. "Oh, nonsense!" cried Miss Deveen. "Why, Dr. Knox might have seen her had she been in bed: he is a physician." And she took him up herself to the blue-room. "Of all old maids that Cattledon's the worst!" nodded Helen Whitney. Miss Deveen went in alone, leaving him outside the door. Janet sat in an armchair by the fire, muffled in an old brown shawl of Cattledon's.