He flung himself down on the bed and tried to sleep. A disturbed slumber, mixed with frightful dreams, came to him. His head was hot, and his thirst was excessive. He rose several times and groped his way to the ice-pitcher, drinking greedily, until at last he had drained it all. In the morning they found him there delirious. The old doctor shook his head. "Brain fever!" he said. "He has had some terrible shock, I think, from the symptoms. I shall send you a trained hospital nurse, Carmontelle, for there must be careful nursing here if we bring the poor fellow out alive." The nurse came, and was duly installed in his position, aided and abetted by Maud and Edith. Carmontelle, after a day or two, stole away from the house long enough to consult his family lawyer on the subject of ferreting to the bottom the story the wicked Mme. Remond had told him of Una's birth. At an early period of the narration of his story the lawyer became visibly excited. "Go on. Tell me everything," he said, nervously, and Carmontelle obeyed. When he had finished, Mr. Frayser cried out, eagerly: "Upon my soul, Carmontelle, I believe the good Lord himself has sent you to me. You know I was Lorraine's lawyer?" "I did not know it," was the answer. "Yes," said Mr. Frayser; "and my client died a few months ago, in an insane asylum." "So I was told by Madame Lorraine--or, as I should perhaps say, Remond." "Yes, she married that wretch some time ago, and they came on here after Lorraine's death, to look after his property." "Yes," said Carmontelle, rather indifferently. He was not much interested in the dead man's property. "Lorraine was immensely rich, you know," continued Frayser. "Madame thought she would step into the money without let or hinderance. She wanted to sell all the property in New Orleans and get away with the spoils." "Yes," absently. The little lawyer smiled. "Monsieur, you don't look much interested," he said; "but listen: Monsieur Lorraine left a box of private papers in my safe when he first employed me as his lawyer, at the time of his marriage to the actress. When I examined these papers, after his death, I found that the greater part of his wealth did not belong to him, but was held in trust for another person." "Another person!" Carmontelle echoed, brightening up with sudden curiosity. "A little child," continued Frayser, his little black eyes twinkling with fun at Carmontelle's eagerness. "Go on, go on." "It seems that Lorraine had an only sister who was married during the war to a very wealthy man, a colonel--_mon Dieu_! Carmontelle, what a coincidence! it was your own name--he was a Colonel Carmontelle!" "And lived in Alabama--and was killed in battle just before the close of the war. He was my cousin!" exclaimed Carmontelle, excitedly.