"Martha--Martha!" she cried, but there was no reply, and hurrying back for a lamp, she found that the candle had burned out, the tea things were still on the table, and the woman was seated there with her head down upon her hands, apparently fast asleep. "Martha!" she cried, shaking her; but there was no reply, only a heavy stertorous breath, and as the old chill came back, Dinah's eyes lit upon the cup and saucer by the woman's side. A flash of light illumined her brain, and instinctively she raised the tea-cup, and smelt, and then tasted the tea at the bottom. It was unmistakable. A peculiar, heavy, clammy taste was evident. The cup fell from her hand, and she looked wildly round, as her position came with tenfold horror. Alone there in that solitary dale, far from help. Even her old friend the dog taken from her side--quite alone, for Martha was beyond rousing for hours to come, plunged as she was in a deep stupor, the result of a drug. CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. ANOTHER PIGEON PLUCKED. "Major Gurdon? Show him in." The Major was shown in to the business-like-looking little grey man in his office at Drapers Buildings, but he did not take the seat offered. "Now then, Mr Caley, I've come up. It is all a scare, is it not?" The stockbroker shrugged his shoulders. "Scare, sir? Perhaps; but everybody who holds these shares is realising for anything he can get." "But I heard such excellent reasons for buying them on the best authority," cried the Major. "It promised to be almost a fortune." "My dear sir," said the stockbroker; "most people who invest in mining shares do so on the best authority, and anticipate fortunes." "Yes, yes, but--" "And then, to use the old simile, sir, find that they have cast their money down a deep hole." "Tut-tut-tut-tut!" ejaculated the Major. "But the latest news of the mine?" "The latest news on 'Change, sir, is worse than that which we wired to you. It is disastrous, and seems to me like the bursting of a bubble. But it may not be so bad. We are quiet men, Major Gurdon, and deal with old-fashioned investors in government and corporation stocks. Two and a half, three, three and a half, and debentures. We do nothing with speculative business." "No, I know. You advised me strongly against what I did." "Yes, sir. We felt it our duty. But this, as I have before said, may only be a scare." "But money means so much to me, Mr Caley. Now tell me this: what would you do if you were in my place?" "You wish for my advice, Major Gurdon?" "Of course." Mr Caley touched the table gong and a clerk appeared. "My compliments to Mr Bland, and ask him to step here." "I think he's out, sir," said the man. "I'll see." He left the office, and a minute later a thin, dark, anxious-looking man entered. "Major Gurdon, I think? We met once before." "Bland, Major Gurdon wants our advice about `White Virgin' shares. What would you do if you held any?"