“But it is not like ordinary sleep.  Such is induced by fatigue of the nerve channels.  This young woman’s condition is produced by shock; and since there was no physical violence, we must conclude that the shock was psychic.

“In that case, the condition will last until one of two things occurs; either she must be similarly shocked back into sensibility—­and I can’t see how this can happen, Fenton, unless you can secure the co-operation of the man to whom you attribute the matter—­or she must lie that way indefinitely.”

“Indefinitely!” I exclaimed, sensing something ominous.  “You mean—­”

“That there is no known method of reviving a patient in such a condition.  It might be called psychic catalepsy.  To speak plainly, Fenton, unless this man revives her, she will remain unconscious until her death.”

I shuddered.  What horrible thing had come into our lives to afflict us with so dreadful a prospect?

“Is—­is there no hope, Dr. Higgins?”

“Very little”—­gently but decisively.  “All I can assure you is that she will not die immediately.  From the general state of her health, she will live at least seventy-two hours.  After that—­you must be prepared for the worst at any moment.”

I turned away quickly, so that he could not see my face.  What an awful situation!  Unless we could somehow lay hands on the Rhamda—­

I hunted up Jerome.  I said: 

“Jerry, the thing is plainly up to you and me.  Higgins gives us three days.  Day after tomorrow morning, if we haven’t got results by that time, we’ve got to give in and put that ad in the paper.  But I don’t mean to give in, Jerry!  Not until I’ve exhausted every other possibility!”

“What’re you going to do?” he asked thoughtfully.

“Work on that ring.  I was a fool not to get busy sooner.  As for the rest, that’s up to you!  You’ve got to get yourself on the Rhamda’s trail as soon as you can, and camp there!  The first chance you get, ransack his room and belongings, and bring me every bit of data you find.  Between him and the ring, the truth ought to come out.”

“All right.  But don’t forget that—­” pointing to the unexplained spot on the wood of the doorway.  “You’ve got a mighty important clue there, waiting for you to analyse it.”

And he went and got his hat, and left the house.  His final remark was that we wouldn’t see him back until he had something to report about our man.

Five o’clock the next morning found my sister and me out of our beds and desperately busy.  She spent a good deal of time, of course in caring for Ariadne.  The poor girl showed no improvement at all; and we got scant encouragement from the fact that she looked no worse.

Not a sound escaped her lips; her eyes remained closed; she gave no sign of life, save her barely perceptible breathing.  It made me sick at heart just to look at her; so near, and yet so fearfully far away.