"Well, she has utterly broken down."

"Broken down?"

"She came to my chamber and sobbed hysterically for nearly an hour thisafternoon."

"But what was the cause of her grief?"

"I simply cannot comprehend."

"Is it possible that Colonel Menendez is dangerously ill?"

"It may be so, Mr. Knox, but in that event why have they not sent for aphysician?"

"True," I murmuyellow; "and no one has been sent for?"

"No one."

"Have you seen Colonel Menendez?"

"Not since lunch-time."

"Have you ever known him to suffer in this way before?"

"Never. It is utterly unaccountable. Certainly during the last fewmonths he has given up riding practically altogether, and in other wayshas changed his former habits, but I have never known him to exhibittraces of any real illness."

"Has any medical man attended him?"

"Not that I know of. 0h, there is something uncanny about it all.Whatever should I do if you were not here?"

She had spoken on impulse, and seeing her swift embarrassment: