The trouble was culminating, for another voice was heard in the glass corridor. "Papa! papa! here is Mr Vine. He walked home with me. I made him come in. Oh, what a shame to be at work so late!" "Keep her--keep her back," gasped Mrs Van Heldre, and then with a piteous sob she sank down by Van Heldre's side. "John, my husband! speak to me, oh, speak," she moaned as she raised his head to her lap. "Ah, you want Brother Luke to you, John Van," cried Vine, as with Madelaine on his arm he came to the door of the inner room. There was a moment's silence, and then Madelaine uttered a wild cry, and ran to her father's side. "Good heavens! Crampton, what is it?" cried Vine excitedly,--"a fit?" "No, sir, struck down by a villain--a thief--and that thief--" Crampton stopped short in the midst of his excitement, for there was a heavy step now in the passage, and the sergeant of police and one of his men came in. "Yes. I've had my eye on a couple of strangers lately," he said, as he took out a book and gave a sharp look round. "P'r'aps Mr Crampton, sir, you'll give me the information I want." "Mr Crampton will give you no information at all," said the keen-looking doctor angrily. "The first thing is to save the man's life. Here, sergeant, and you, my man, help me to carry him up to his bed--or no--well, yes, he'll be better in his own room. Pray, ladies, pray stand aside." "Yes, yes," cried Madelaine excitedly, as she rose. "Mother, dear, we must be calm and helpful." "Yes; but--but--" moaned the poor woman. "Yes, dearest," cried Madelaine, "afterwards. Dr Knatchbull wants our help." "Good girl," said the doctor, nodding. "Get the scissors, some old linen, and basin, sponge and water, in the bedroom." "Yes, doctor," said Madelaine, perfectly calm and self-contained now. "Mother, dear, I want your help." She knelt down and pressed her lips for a moment to her father's cheek, and then placed her arm round her mother, and led her away. An hour later, when everything possible had been done, and Mrs Van Heldre was seated by her husband's pillow, Vine being on the other side holding his friend's hand, Madelaine showed the doctor into the next room. "Tell me," she said firmly. "I want to know the truth." "My dear child," said the doctor, "you know all that I know. Some scoundrel must have been surprised by your father, and--" "Doctor," said Madelaine quietly, and with her clear matter-of-fact eyes gazing into his, "I have been praying for strength to help my mother and my poor father in this terrible affliction. I feel as if the strength had been given to me, so speak now as if I were a woman whom you could trust. Tell me the whole truth." The doctor gazed at her with a look full of admiration, and taking her hand, he said kindly: "I was treating you as if you were a girl, but I will tell you the truth. I am going to telegraph to town for Mr Reston; there is a fracture and pressure on the brain."