half-stupefying pain which, spite of what he could do, still held
on. All his nerves were unstrung.

"How is she?" he asked, with the manner of one who had received an
unwelcome message. His hand was still held against his forehead.

"She broke all down a little while ago, and now lies moaning and
shivering. Oh, doctor, come right away! You know how weak she is.
This dreadful suspense will kill her, I'm afraid."

Have you no word of Archie yet?" asked Doctor Hillhouse as he
dropped the hand he had been holding against his forehead and
temples.

"None! So far, we are without a sign."

"What are you doing?"

"Everything that can be thought of. More than twenty of our friends,
in concert with the police, are at work in all conceivable ways to
get trace of him, but from the moment he left Mr. Birtwell's he
dropped out of sight as completely as if the sea had gone over him.
Up to this time not the smallest clue to this dreadful mystery has
been found. But come, doctor. Every moment is precious."

Doctor Hillhouse drew out his watch. It was now nearly half-past ten
o'clock. His manner was nervous, verging on to excitement. In almost
any other case he would have said that it was not possible for him
to go. But the exigency and the peculiarly distressing circumstances
attending upon this made it next to impossible for him to refuse.