"I'll tell you the story," he said at last. "I should like the benefit of your advice;" and he recounted rapidly the facts of Miss Holladay's illness, in so far as he knew them, ending with an account of our recent visit, and the statement of the maid that her mistress was under a doctor's care. Jenkinson heard him to the end without interrupting, but he was plainly puzzled and annoyed. "And you say she looked very ill?" he asked. "Oh, very ill, sir; alarmingly ill, to my unpracticed eyes. She seemed thin and worn--she could scarcely talk--she had such a cough--I hardly knew her." Again the doctor paused to consider. He was a very famous doctor, with many very famous patients, and I could see that this case piqued him--that another physician should have been preferred! "Of course, Mr. Royce," he said finally, "Miss Holladay was perfectly free to choose another physician, if she thought best." "But would you have thought it probable?" queried our junior. "Ten minutes ago, I should have thought it extremely improbable," answered the doctor emphatically. "Still, women are sometimes erratic, as we doctors know to our sorrow." Mr. Royce hesitated, and then took the bull by the horns. "Doctor Jenkinson," he began earnestly, "don't you think it would be wise to see Miss Holladay--you know how her father trusted you, and relied on you--and assure yourself that she's in good hands? I confess, I don't know what to think, but I fear some danger is hanging over her. Perhaps she may even have fallen into the hands of the faith-curists." Jenkinson smiled. "The advice to seek rest and quiet seems sane enough," he said, "and utterly unlike any that a faith-curist would give." "But still, if you could see for yourself," persisted Mr. Royce. The doctor hesitated, drumming with his fingers upon the arm of his chair. "Such a course would be somewhat unprofessional," he said at last. "Still, I might call in a merely social way. My interest in the family would, I think, excuse me." Mr. Royce's face brightened, and he caught the doctor's hand. "Thank you, sir," he said warmly. "It will lift a great anxiety from the firm, and, I may add, from me, personally." The doctor laughed good-naturedly. "I knew that, of course," he said. "We doctors hear all the gossip going. I might add that I was glad to hear this bit. If you'll wait for me here, I'll go at once." We instantly assented, and he called his carriage, and was driven away. I felt that, at last, we were to see behind one corner of the curtain--perhaps one glimpse would be enough to penetrate the mystery. But, in half an hour he was back again, and a glance at his face told me that we were again destined to disappointment. "I sent up my card," he reported briefly, "and Miss Holladay sent down word that she must beg to be excused." Mr. Royce's face fell. "And that was all?" he asked. "That was all. Of course, there was nothing for me to do but come away. I couldn't insist on seeing her."