The moment you hear the least movement within, turn the key quietly in the lock. That is all. Whatever happens, under no emergency are you to utter a sound. Now this will be quickly over, and you can turn your back on me if you like."
I swept the many wreaths of white flowers aside, and began to unscrew the shell which contained the body. My great fear that the unfortunate girl might have been suffocated in her coffin was immediately relieved by the fact that the badly and hastily made shell was anything but air-proof—the lid did not fit—and although the white velvet covering gave the coffin a fairly respectable appearance, it was evidently the work of an unaccustomed hand. I quickly unscrewed it, and, lifting the lid, looked down at the fair face of the dead. Mrs. Raymond looked beautiful in her last sleep. Her hands were folded in conventional fashion on her breast—her head drooped slightly to one side, her lips were parted, and there was a faint, a very faint, tinge of colour on her cheeks. I eagerly seized one of the hands, and felt for the pulse in the wrist. After a long time I fancied that I distinguished a throb. The hands were limp. There was no rigidity apparent anywhere.
"I swept the many wreaths of white flowers aside."
"Merciful heavens!" I exclaimed, under my breath. "How could any but a madman have thought this sleeping girl dead?"
I took some strong smelling salts out of my pocket, and applied them to the nostrils. There was a very faint movement. That was enough.
"Jasper," I said, speaking as steadily as I could, could, "come here."
The man obeyed, shuddering and faltering. I went up to him and took his hands. I verily believe that tears were dimming my eyes.
"Thank God," I muttered under my breath. Aloud I said:—
"There has been an awful mistake made—but I am in time to put it right. Now, Jasper, on your self-control at this moment everything depends. Mrs. Raymond is not dead; but we must get her out of her coffin before she comes to consciousness, or the shock may really kill her."
AF The poor old man turned so white that 1 thought he would fall. I held the smeiling salts to his nose.
"Keep up," I said, "if you love your master. Think and wonder afterwards as much as you like. Just obey me now. Tell me, is there a bedroom quite ready to receive Mrs. Raymond?"
"Yes, sir; the room that has been newly got ready for my master and his bride. It is all fully prepared, fire burning there, and everything."
"Is it a cheerful room?"
"Beautiful, doctor; furnished new by Liberty."
"That's all right. Is there a woman of any kind in this house?"
"Of course, Dr. Halifax."
"A woman with a head on her shoulders, I mean—someone who can act promptly and show self-control?"
"There's Mrs. Adams, the housekeeper. Shall I fetch her?"
"If you think she won't scream. If you think she will behave just as admirably as you are doing at the present moment, she can go into the bedroom and get it ready. Go to her as quickly as you can, Jasper, and bring me down a hot blanket. Now, be quick. We have not an instant to lose."
