She set the poker upright before the nearly extinguished fire and
turned triumphantly to Mlle. Dorian, who was watching her with a
slight smile.

"That will be a comforting blaze in a few minutes, Miss Dorian," she
said, and went towards the door.

"If you please," called the girl, detaining her--"do you permit me to
speak on the telephone a moment? As Dr. Stuart is not at home, I must
explain that I wait for him."

"Certainly, Miss Dorian," replied Mrs. M'Gregor; "use the telephone
by all means. But I think the doctor will be back any moment now."

"Thank you so much."

Mrs. M'Gregor went out, not without a final backward glance at the
elegant figure in the armchair. Mlle. Dorian was seated, her chin
resting in her hand and her elbow upon the arm of the chair, gazing
into the smoke arising from the nearly extinguished ember of the fire.
The door closed, and Mrs. M'Gregor's footsteps could be heard receding
along the corridor.

Mlle. Dorian sprang from the chair and took out of her handbag a
number of small keys attached to a ring. Furtively she crossed the
room, all the time listening intently, and cast her cloak over the
back of the chair which was placed before the writing-table. Her robe
of white and gold clung to her shapely figure as she bent over the
table and tried three of the keys in the lock of the drawer which
contained Stuart's cheque-book and in which he had recently placed