With a shriek Kaituna recognised him. It was Dombrain, and she sprang to her feet to seize him; but eluding her grasp he ran out of the door and down the stairs into the street. Kaituna could not follow him, as her limbs tottered under her; but she managed to drag herself back to her mother--the mother, alas, who was dying. The red blood was welling slowly from a wound in her breast, and a thick sluggish stream was stealing heavily along the polished floor. Lifting the dying woman's head on her lap the girl cried aloud for help upon which the servant came rushing in. She shrieked when she saw Mrs. Belswin lying unconscious in her blood, and ran out to call in aid--ran right into the arms of Maxwell, Belk and Ferrari, who were just entering. "Help! help!" cried the servant, rushing past them, "a doctor--a doctor! She is dying." "Kaituna!" exclaimed Archie with a sudden fear in his breast; and without a moment's pause the three men rushed into the room, where the girl was sitting with a look of agony on her pale face as she bent over the unconscious woman. "Kaituna!--Mrs. Belswin!" "It is my mother--my poor mother," cried Kaituna, in an agony of sorrow. "Have you caught him? Have you caught him?" "Who?" shouted Maxwell and Belk, while Ferrari, in a paroxysm of grief, threw himself beside the body of the woman he loved. "Dombrain!" "Dombrain?" "Yes! yes! he was here! he shot my mother with that pistol. He has just left the house." "God!" cried Belk, starting, "he was the man we saw running down the street." And he was out of the room in pursuit without saying another word. "A doctor! a doctor!" said Kaituna, imploringly, "Oh, Archie! she will die, she will die!" "Stella adora!" moaned the Italian, covering the cold white hand with kisses. "A doctor will be here in a few minutes," said Maxwell, approaching the unconscious form of Mrs. Belswin; "the servant has gone for one. Ferrari, help me to place her on the sofa!" But Ferrari could do nothing but tear his hair, and cry endearing words in Italian to the woman he loved; so Kaituna, pale as marble, but wonderfully brave, helped Archie to place Mrs. Belswin on the sofa. She was breathing heavily, and Maxwell, tearing open her dress, strove to staunch the blood with his handkerchief, while Ferrari remained on his knees, and Kaituna stood beside him with clasped hands. "Good heavens, she will bleed to death!" Just as Maxwell spoke, the doctor entered with the scared servant, and at once proceeded to examine the wound. Having done so he looked very grave, and Kaituna caught him by the arm with a cry of terror as he arose from his knees. "She will live! she will live! Say she will live!" "I'm afraid not, my dear young lady," said the doctor, gravely; "the bullet has gone right through the lungs." "Do you think she will die, doctor?" asked Maxwell, in a tone of horror. "Yes! I am sure of it!"