She heard Ralston's voice.
"What is it?
Open! Open!" and then in the garden the report of a rifle rang loud.
She turned up the lights, flung a dressing-gown about her shoulders and opened the door.

Ralston was in the passage, behind him she saw lights strangely wavering and other faces.

These too wavered strangely.

From very far away, she heard Ralston's voice once more.
"What is it?
What is it ?" And then she fell forward against him and sank in a swoon upon the floor.
Ralston lifted her on to her bed and summoned her maid.

He went out of the house and made inquiries of the guard.