But all further explanation was cut short by a horrified shriek
from the old lady, and a precipitate rush from the room. Down
stairs she flew, informing the other servants as she went,
between her screams, and when Sir Norman, in a violent rage, went
in search of her five minutes after, he found not only the
kitchen, but the whole house deserted.

"Well," said Ormiston, as Sir Norman strode back, looking fiery
hot and savagely angry.

"Well, they have all fled, every man and woman of them, the - "
Sir Norman ground out something not quite proper, behind his
moustache. "I shall have to go for the doctor, myself. Doctor
Forbes is a friend of mine, and lives near; and you," looking at
him rather doubtfully, "would you mind staying here, lest she
should recover consciousness before I return?"

"To tell you the truth," said Ormiston, with charming frankness,
"I should! The lady is extremely beautiful, I must own; but she
looks uncomfortably corpse-like at this present moment. I do not
wish to die of the plague, either, until I see La Masque once
more; and so if it is all the same to you, my dear friend, I will
have the greatest pleasure in stepping round with you to the
doctor's."

Sir Norman, though he did not much approve of this, could not
very well object, and the two sallied forth together. Walking a
short distance up Piccadilly, they struck off into a bye street,
and soon reached the house they were in search of. Sir Norman