Sir Reginald drove straight from his club to the little cottage beyond Malda Hill. He scarcely expected to find the man whom he had last seen at an inn in Dorsetshire; but, to his surprise, he was conducted immediately to the laboratory, where he discovered Victor Carrington bending over an alembic, which was placed on the top of a small furnace. The surgeon looked up with a start, and Reginald perceived that he wore the metal mask which he had noticed on a former occasion. "Who brought you here?" asked Victor, impatiently. "The servant who admitted me," answered Reginald. "I told her I was your intimate friend, and that I wanted to see you immediately. She therefore brought me here." "She had no right to do so. However, no matter. When did you return? I scarcely expected to see you in town as soon." "I scarcely expected to find you hereafter our meeting at Frimley," replied the baronet. "There was nothing to detain me in the country. I came back some days ago, and have been busy with my old studios in chemistry." "You still dabble with poisons, I perceive," said Sir Reginald, pointing to the mask which Victor had laid aside on a table near him. "Every chemist must dabble in poisons, since poison forms an element of all medicines," replied Victor. "And now tell me to what new dilemma of yours do I owe the honour of this visit. You rarely enter this house except when you find yourself desperately in need of my humble services. What is the last misfortune?" "I have just come from the Phoenix, where I met Caversham, I thought I should be able to get a hundred or so out of him at _écarté_ to-night; but the game is up in that quarter." "He suspects that he has been--_singularly_ unfortunate?" "He knows it. No man who was not certain of the fact would have dared to say what he said to me. He insulted me, Carrington-insulted me grossly; and I was not able to resent his insolence." "Never mind his insolence," answered Victor; "in six months your position will be such that no man will presume to insult you. So the game is up at Hilton House, is it? I thought you were going on a little too fast. And pray what is to be the next move?" "What can we do? Paulina's creditors are impatient, and she has very little money to give them. My own debts are too pressing to permit of my helping her; and such being the case, the best thing she can do will be to get back to the Continent as soon as she can." "On no account, my dear Reginald!" exclaimed Carrington. "Madame Durski must not leave Hilton House." "Why not?" "Never mind the why. I tell you, Reginald, she must stay. You and I must find enough money to stave off the demands of her sharpest creditors." "I have not a sixpence to give her," answered the baronet; "I can scarcely afford to pay for the lodging that shelters me, and can still less afford to lend money to other people."