And in the midst of all this torture of his vacillations, he was staggered and overwhelmed by the sudden noise of Mrs. Maldon's door brusquely opening, and of an instant loud, firm knock on his own door. The silence of the night was shattered as by an earthquake. Almost mechanically he crushed the notes in his left hand--crushed them into a ball; and the knuckles of that hand turned white with the muscular tension. "Are you up?" a voice demanded. It was Rachel's voice. "Ye-es," he answered, and held his left hand over the screen in front of the fireplace. "May I come in?" And with the word she came in. She was summarily dressed, and very pale, and her hair, more notable than ever, was down. As she entered he opened his hand and let the ball of notes drop into the littered grate. V "Anything the matter?" he asked, moving away from the region of the hearth-rug. She glanced at him with a kind of mild indulgence, as if to say: "Surely you don't suppose I should be wandering about in the night like this if nothing was the matter!" She replied, speaking quickly and eagerly--"I'm so glad you aren't in bed. I want you to go and fetch the doctor--at once." "Auntie ill?" She gave him another glance like the first, as if to say: "_I'm_ not ill, and _you_ aren't. And Mrs. Maldon is the only other person in the house--" "I'll go instantly," he added in haste. "Which doctor?" "Yardley in Park Road. It's near the corner of Axe Street. You'll know it by the yellow gate--even if his lamp isn't lighted." "I thought old Hawley up at Hillport was auntie's doctor." "I believe he is, but you couldn't get up to Hillport in less than half an hour, could you?" "Not so serious as all that, is it?" "Well, you never know. Best to be on the safe side. It's not quite like one of her usual attacks. She's been upset. She actually went downstairs." "I thought I heard somebody. Did you hear her, then?" "No, she rang for me afterwards. There's a little electric bell over my bed, from her room." "And I heard that too," said Louis. "Will you ask Dr. Yardley to come at once?" "I'm off," said he. "What a good thing I wasn't in bed!" "What a good thing you're here at all!" Rachel murmured, suddenly smiling. He was waiting anxiously for her to leave the room again. But instead of leaving it she came to the fireplace and looked behind the screen. He trembled. "Oh! That kettle _is_ there! I thought it must be!" And picked it up. Then, with the kettle in one hand, she went to a large cupboard let into the wall opposite the door, and opened it. "You know Park Road, I suppose?" she turned to him. "Yes, yes, I'm off!" He was obliged to go, surrendering the room to her. As he descended the stairs he heard her come out of the room. She was following him downstairs. "Don't bang the door," she whispered. "I'll come and shut it after you."