I almost fell over Wales as he lay inert upon the gravel path. The shadows veiled him so that I could not see his face; but when, groping with my hands, I sought to learn if his heart still pulsed, I failed to discover any evidence that it did. With my hand thrust against his breast and my ear lowered anxiously, I listened, but he gave no sign of life, lying as still as all else around me. Now this stillness was broken. Excited voices became audible, and doors were being unlocked here and there. First of all the household, Mrs. Dale appeared, enveloped in a lace dressing-gown. "Aubrey!" she cried tremulously, "what is it? where are you?" "He is here, Mrs. Dale," I answered, standing up, "and in a bad way, I fear." "For Heaven's sake, what has happened to him? Did you hear his awful cries?" "I did," I said shortly. Standing with the moonlight fully upon her, Mrs. Dale sought him in the shadows of the hedge--and I knew that by the manner of his frightened outcry the man lying unconscious at my feet had forfeited whatever of her regard he had enjoyed. She was dreadfully alarmed, not so much on his behalf, as by the mystery of the attack upon him. But now she composed herself, though not without visible effort. "Where is he, Mr. Addison?" she said firmly, "and what has happened to him?" A man, who proved to be a gardener, now appeared upon the scene. "Help me to carry him in," I said to this new arrival; "perhaps he has only fainted." We gathered up the recumbent body and carried it through the kitchens into the breakfast-room, where there was a deep couch. All the servants were gathered at the foot of the stairs, frightened and useless, but the outcry did not seem to have aroused Major Dale. Mrs. Dale and I bent over Wales. His face was frightfully congested, whilst his tongue protruded hideously; and it was evident, from the great discoloured weals which now were coming up upon his throat, that he had been strangled, or nearly so. I glanced at the white face of my hostess and then bent over the victim, examining him more carefully. I stood upright again. "Do you know first aid, Mrs. Dale?" I asked abruptly. She nodded, her eyes fixed intently upon me. "Then help to employ artificial respiration," I said, "and let one of the girls get ammonia, if you have any, and a bowl of hot water. We can patch him up, I think, without medical aid--which might be undesirable." Mrs. Dale seemed fully to appreciate the point, and in business-like fashion set to work to assist me. Wales had just opened his eyes and begun to clutch at his agonized throat, when I heard a heavy step descending from the new wing--and Major Dale, in his dressing-gown, joined us. His red face was more red than usual, and his eyes were round with wonder. "What the devil's the matter?" he cried; "what's everybody up for?"