There was no bridge or billiards at the Court that night, where
ordinarily the play ran high enough. After Mr. Haswell had been carried
to his room, some of the guests, among them Sir Robert Aylward, went to
bed, remarking that they could do no good by sitting up, while others,
more concerned, waited to hear the verdict of the doctor, who must drive
from six miles away. He came, and half an hour later Barbara entered
the billiard room and told Alan, who was sitting there smoking, that her
uncle had recovered from his faint, and that the doctor, who was to stay
all night, said that he was in no danger, only suffering from a heart
attack brought on apparently by over-work or excitement.

When Alan woke next morning the first thing that he heard through his
open window was the sound of the doctor's departing dogcart. Then Jeekie
appeared and told him that Mr. Haswell was all right again, but that
all night he had shaken "like one jelly." Alan asked what had been the
matter with him, but Jeekie only shrugged his shoulders and said that he
did not know--"perhaps Yellow God touch him up."

At breakfast, as in her note she had said she would, Barbara appeared
wearing a short skirt. Sir Robert, who was there, also looked extremely
pale even for him and with black rims round his eyes, asked her if she
were going to golf, to which she answered that she would think it over.
It was a somewhat melancholy meal, and as though by common consent no
mention was made of Jeekie's tale of the Yellow God, and beyond the
usual polite inquiries, very little of their host's seizure.

As Barbara went out she whispered to Alan, who opened the door for her,
"Meet me at half-past ten in the kitchen garden."

Accordingly, having changed his clothes surreptitiously, Alan, avoiding