"Doctor, come here,"--the woman spoke in low, even tones. "My brother is in danger--wake him for me." The physician, a strong, swart man of fifty, without one word of answer, drew a chair to the master's side, and fell to instant study of the case. Ten minutes passed while the sea crooned, beat upon slow beat of her everlasting music under the cliffs; and the clock against the wall throbbed out the seconds. Lancaster answered the doctor's whispered questions, and the woman sat rigid by the table where glowing heaps of fruit, strewn lilies, and cut glass cast their reflections on black polished oak. The ticking of the clock became so unbearable that at last Mistress Sarah, in feverish irritation, swept across the room, wrenched it down from the wall, and threw it out of the window. The thing fell and fell, but there was no answering from the sea, which still by beat and beat crooned the slow song of times past and present and to come, eternity unto eternity. "Mistress Brand," said the doctor; "if this man sleeps he will live--if he wakes he dies." "Would he wake if I moved him?" "No--nothing would wake him short of an electric battery." The aerograph began to speak again. "What shall I do, sir?" "Destroy the _Golden Hind_," clicked the slow signals. "You must be ill, sir," flashed the swift reply. "Remember her power, her size, her speed. The _Lion_ can neither fight nor run." "Mr. Brand is unconscious. I am Miss Brand. Come down--rescue the master. He'll be captured--quick." "Madam, it's too late. I should be caught aground. I must fight the _Golden Hind_. It will give you time to get the master away." "How can you fight?" "With the formula for explosives, and if she has none on board, I'll try the ram. Get the master away." "Where are you?" "Seven miles directly overhead. For Heaven's sake, be quick." "He's right," said Mistress Sarah aloud. "Dr. Boyes, within ten minutes this house will be attacked and my brother captured unless I can get him away. There's only one place safe from treachery. Under this window the cliff falls straight to the sea, but fifty feet down there is a narrow ledge. From that ledge there are steps cut down to my brother's bathing place. He uses a knotted rope to reach the ledge. I'm going to lower him down." "That I forbid," said Dr. Boyes. "It's almost certain death." "To stay here is certain capture. He'd rather die." Then looking up from his place by the master's head, "Our Lady is in love with him," said Lancaster. "He's got to be saved!" "It's impossible." "In the Queen's name," cried Lancaster, "I command!" "Quick!" said Mistress Brand. "Run, lad, to the dressing-room--it's next to this; the coil of rope is in the window casing. There's no time to lose." Once more the aerograph spoke. "My engineers have mutinied. If I'm rammed, your house is directly below--I can't move the ship--the engineers----" Then silence.