A package from the botanical department of the university was waiting there for Kennedy, but before he could open it the telephone buzzed furiously.

I could gather from Kennedy’s words that it was Helen Grey.

“I shall be over immediately,” he promised, as he hung up the receiver and turned to me.  “Mansfield is much worse.  While I get together some material I must take over there, Walter, I want you to call up Miss Hargrave and tell her to start for the city right away—­meet us at Mansfield’s.  Then get Mina Leitch and Lewis.  You’ll find their numbers in the book—­or else you’ll have to get them from Miss Grey.”

While I was delivering the messages as diplomatically as possible Kennedy had taken a vial from a medicine-chest, and then from a cabinet a machine which seemed to consist of a number of collars and belts fastened to black cylinders from which ran tubes.  An upright roll of ruled paper supported by a clockwork arrangement for revolving it, and a standard bearing a recording pen, completed the outfit.

“I should much have preferred not being hurried,” he confessed, as we dashed over in the car to Mansfield’s again, bearing the several packages.  “I wanted to have a chance to interview Mina Leitch alone.  However, it has now become a matter of life or death.”

Miss Grey was pale and worn as she met us in the living-room.

“He’s had a sinking-spell,” she said, tremulously.  “Doctor Murray managed to bring him around, but he seems so much weaker after it.  Another might—­” She broke off, unable to finish.

A glance at Mansfield was enough to convince any one that unless something was done soon the end was not far.

“Another convulsion and sinking-spell is about all he can stand,” remarked Doctor Murray.

“May I try something?” asked Kennedy, hardly waiting for the doctor to agree before he had pulled out the little vial which I had seen him place in his pocket.

Deftly Kennedy injected some of the contents into Mansfield’s side, then stood anxiously watching the effect.  The minutes lengthened.  At least he seemed to be growing no worse.

In the next room, on a table, Kennedy was now busy setting out the scroll of ruled paper and its clockwork arrangement, and connecting the various tubes from the black cylinders in such a way that the recording pen just barely touched on the scroll.

He had come back to note the still unchanged condition of the patient when the door opened and a handsome woman in the early thirties entered, followed by Helen Grey.  It was Mina Leitch.

“Oh, isn’t it terrible!  I can hardly believe it!” she cried, paying no attention to us as she moved over to Doctor Murray.

I recalled what Miss Grey had said about Mansfield’s attentions.  It was evident that, as far as Mina was concerned, her own attentions were monopolized by the polished physician.  His manner in greeting her told me that Doctor Murray appreciated it.  Just then Fleming Lewis bustled in.