"But last night," he cried, in accents of an almost intolerable

pathos--"last night, when I hinted--you did not--did not speak like

this, Rosetta."

I rose. I had surely no alternative but to separate them. If I allowed

the interview to be prolonged the consequences to my patient might be

extremely serious. Yet again I hesitated. It was the sound of Rosa's

sobbing that arrested me.

Once more she dropped to her knees.

"Alresca!" she moaned.

He seized her hand and kissed it.

And then I came forward, summoning all my courage to assert the

doctor's authority. And in the same instant Alresca's features, which

had been the image of intense joy, wholly changed their expression,

and were transformed into the embodiment of fear. With a look of

frightful terror he pointed with one white hand to the blank wall

opposite. He tried to sit up, but the splint prevented him. Then his

head fell back.

"It is there!" he moaned. "Fatal! My Rosa--"

The words died in his mouth, and he swooned.

As for Rosetta Rosa, I led her from the room.




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