"Yes, Eve. That's what it must have been, if not spirits. They had no mortal disease, either of them." "Don't mention that before any one else," admonished Eve, very seriously. "There are other explanations, Milly. Many deaths have been brought about by sudden fright or by continuous apprehension of imaginary danger. Vernie had been warned twice. True, I didn't think of four in the afternoon, but doubtless she did, and maybe, seeing the sudden attack of Mr. Bruce, so startled her that she thought of the four o'clock doom and gave way herself." "She might give way to the extent of fainting, or a fit of hysterics," admitted Milly, "but not to the extent of dropping dead! It's unthinkable,--it's unbelievable----" "It's almost unbelievable that they should _be_ dead," Eve said, softly, "but as to how they died, let's not speculate, dear. I suppose we must have a doctor up from New York,--what do you think, Mr. Landon?" "Eh?--oh, I don't know,--I'm sure I don't know." "But you'll have to take charge, won't you?" asked Eve. "You two are really the heads of this house----" "All I want is to get away," moaned Milly. "When can we go, Wynne?" "I don't know, dear. Say, Eve, won't you take Milly down to-night? I can't leave, of course, but I daren't keep her here, lest she go to pieces. You take her home,--there's a train in about an hour." "Oh, I can't. I want to stay here. Send Norma,--no, she's no good,--perhaps Mr. Tracy will take Milly down. He's awfully kind, and ready to do anything." As Milly declared herself now willing, the three went downstairs. They found the others in the hall, the Doctor still there, and the tea things still about. Eve gave Milly some tea, and took some herself. "I'll have to call in the coroner," Doctor Wayburn was saying; "it isn't apparently a murder, and yet it's a mysterious death,--they both are. Yes, the county physician must be summoned." The Doctor had gotten over the first panic of surprise, and began to feel a sense of importance. Such a case had never come near him before, and the whole affair gave him a pleasant feeling of responsibility and foreshadowed his prominence in the public eye. The suggestion of a coroner was resented by all who listened, but the Doctor's word was law in the case, so they unwillingly consented. "I think I'd better go down to New York to-night," said Braye. "There are so many things to see to, so many people to notify, the reporters to look after, and--undertaking arrangements to be made. Unless you want to go, Wynne?" "No," said Landon, "it's better for you, Rudolph. But I wish you'd take Milly. Take her to her mother's and let her get out of this atmosphere. Will you go, Milly?" "I did want to, Wynne, when I was upstairs. But, now, with people all about,--if Norma will stay here, too, I'd rather stay with you. When are _you_ going down, Wynne?"