Miss Langdale left us a moment, with a hasty excuse that she must prepare Mrs. Wardlaw for the unexpected visit.  The preparation, however, did not take long, for a moment later Maude Wardlaw entered, supported by her nurse.

Her lips moved mechanically as she saw us, but we could not hear what she said.  As she walked, I could see that she had a peculiar gait, as though she were always lifting her feet over small obstacles.  Her eyes, too, as she looked at us, had a strange squint, and now and then the muscles of her face twitched.  She glanced from Leslie to Kennedy inquiringly, as Leslie introduced us, implying that we were from his office, then dropped into the easy-chair.  Her breathing seemed to be labored and her heart action feeble, as the nurse propped her up comfortably.

As Mrs. Wardlaw’s hand rested on the arm of the chair I saw that there was a peculiar flexion of her wrist which reminded me of the so-called “wrist-drop” of which I had heard.  It was almost as if the muscles of her hands and arms, feet and legs, were weak and wasting.  Once she had been beautiful, and even now, although she seemed to be a wreck of her former self, she had a sort of ethereal beauty that was very touching.

“Doctor is out—­just now,” she hesitated, in a tone that hinted at the loss of her voice.  She turned appealingly to Miss Langdale.  “Oh,” she murmured, “I feel so badly this morning—­as if pins and needles were sticking in me—­vague pains in all my limbs—­”

Her voice sank to a whisper and only her lips moved feebly.  One had only to see her to feel sympathy.  It seemed almost cruel to intrude under the circumstances, yet it was absolutely necessary if Craig were to accomplish anything.  Maude Wardlaw, however, did not seem to comprehend the significance of our presence, and I wondered how Kennedy would proceed.

“I should like to see your Japanese servant, Kato,” he began, directly, somewhat to my surprise, addressing himself rather to Miss Langdale than to Mrs. Wardlaw.

The nurse nodded and left the room without a word, as though appreciating the anomalous position in which she was placed as temporary mistress of the household.

A few moments later Kato entered.  He was a typical specimen of the suave Oriental, and I eyed him keenly, for to me East was East and West was West, and I was frankly suspicious, especially as I saw no reason to be otherwise in Kennedy’s manner.  I waited eagerly to see what Craig would do.

“Sit here,” directed Kennedy, indicating a straight-backed chair, on which the Japanese obediently sat.  “Now cross your knees.”

As Kato complied, Kennedy quickly brought his hand, held flat and palm upward, sharply against the Jap’s knee just below the kneecap.  There was a quick reflex jerk of the leg below the knee in response.

“Quite natural,” Kennedy whispered, turning to Leslie, who nodded.

He dismissed Kato without further questioning, having had an opportunity to observe whether he showed any of the symptoms that had appeared in the rest of the family.  Craig and the Health Commissioner exchanged a few words under their breath, then Craig crossed the room to Mrs. Wardlaw.  The entrance of Kato had roused her momentarily and she had been watching what was going on.