Miss Templeton saw deeper than Shiel—­it had always been her custom to read between the lines.  “Now,” she argued, “if Kelson were so easily influenced by Lilian Rosenberg, who was young and attractive, it was almost a sine qua non that he was in love with her,” and as marriage was one of the eventualities strictly forbidden to the trio in the compact—­“they must neither quarrel nor marry,” Shiel had exclaimed—­here was their chance.  Kelson must marry Lilian Rosenberg, and by so doing, break the compact and overwhelm the trio in some sudden and dire catastrophe.  But the marriage must take place within six months’ time.  How could that be arranged?  Could Lilian Rosenberg be bribed or persuaded into it? for of course Miss Templeton being a woman—­albeit an old maid—­had at once divined that Lilian Rosenberg was in love with Shiel—­that she did not care a straw for Kelson, and that to marry the latter she would need some very strong inducement.  And the only inducement she could think of was Lilian’s genuine love for Shiel.

“Yes, it is upon this one weakness of Lilian’s that I must work,” she said to herself.  “It is the only way I can see of saving Gladys.”

Resolved at any rate to experiment upon these lines, she lost no time in seeking out Lilian Rosenberg, who received her very coldly and was distinctly rude.

“What have my affairs to do with you?  Who sent you here?” she demanded.

“Humanity!” Miss Templeton replied.  “I have come entirely of my own accord to plead the cause of one who is seriously ill—­possibly dying!”

“Seriously ill!—­possibly dying!” Lilian Rosenberg said incredulously, nevertheless, turning pale.  “Mr. Davenport is surely not as bad as all that!”

“When did you see him last?” Miss Templeton asked.

“A fortnight ago,” Lilian Rosenberg replied.  “I have been inundated with work the past two weeks.”

“Then you’ve not heard that he’s had a relapse,” Miss Templeton said, “and is now in a most critical condition!  He has something on his mind, and the doctor assures me that whilst he is still worrying over that something, there is no chance of his recovery.”

“Do you know what it is—­the something?” Lilian Rosenberg asked, the white on her cheeks intensifying.

“Yes!” Miss Templeton said slowly, and trying to appear calm.  “He is very worried about Miss Martin’s engagement to Mr. Hamar.”

“And why, pray?”

“Because he knows all about Mr. Hamar—­and the compact.”

“He has told you?”

“I have gleaned it from what he has said in his delirium.”

“Has he been as ill as that?”

“Yes, he has.  He had a temperature of a hundred and four the day before yesterday.”

For a few moments there was silence.  Then Lilian Rosenberg said, “Can you believe what a man says in delirium?”

“In this instance I feel sure you can,” Miss Templeton replied.