“Oh, I'm quite calm now that my mind is made up,” said he. “If it kills me I couldn't die in a better cause.” I called his mother and went below stairs. As I waited I thought of the new plan of Muggs. The count's letter clearly intimated that Norris must be his friend or he would publish the facts. If he could force a marriage he would share the financial end in some manner with Muggs. A little after one o'clock the ladies arrived with Richard Forbes. I took charge of Gwendolyn and her mother, and the boy bade us good night. We sat down together for a moment. “We had a wonderful time,” said Gwendolyn. “All the aristocracy of Rome was there.” “Including the wonderful Count Raspagnetti,” her mother added. “The young Count Carola stood near as we got into our car. He is the most pathetic thing!” “We must have nothing more to say to him,” I said. “He has discovered another most beautiful woman in the world in Miss Muriel Fraley, of Terre Haute. He is one of the greatest beauty-finders that I have ever seen. But we must have nothing more to say to him. He has resorted to blackmail to achieve his purpose.” “What do you mean?” asked Mrs. Norris. Before I could answer she suddenly opened her heart to me. “So many things have happened and are happening which I cannot understand,” said she. “My husband has never taken me into his confidence. I have long known that he was troubled about something. It has always seemed to annoy him if I rapped ever so softly on the door of his mystery. Now I do not dare to come near it for fear of making him worse. You seem to know the man Wilton. Who is he? Why does he turn up in Italy? I detest him, and I am sure that my husband does also.” “Mr. Norris has had business relations with him, but they are now at an end,” I answered. “So I had hoped,” said she. “But he called here to see my husband yesterday. Of course he didn't succeed. The nurse gave Mr. Norris the card, and his symptoms changed suddenly and were alarming. I am terribly worried and nervous. I love my husband, and I've felt often that I haven't been a good wife to him, but he would not let me.” Her eyes had filled with tears. “Your unhappiness will end this night. Come with me to Whitfield's room. He has something to tell you. He asked me to meet you here.” “How strange!” said Mrs. Norris, as she rose with a frightened look. I led the way, and we proceeded in silence to the room where Norris lay. His mother sat beside him on the bed. “Mary and Gwendolyn, come here,” he said. He took a hand of each in his as they stood by his bedside. “Potter, I want you to stay with us and hear what I have to say,” he called to me. A little moment of silence followed in which his spirit seemed to be breaking its fetters.