Cumberly bent forward
suddenly, glancing back at M. Max who stood in a remote corner of the
room watching this scene.
Big Ben commenced to chime the hour of midnight. That frightful
coincidence so startled Leroux that he looked up and almost rose from
his chair in his agitation. Indeed it startled Cumberly, also, but did
not divert him from his purpose.
"It is now or never!" he whispered.
He took the seemingly lifeless hand in his own, and bending over Mira
Leroux, spoke softly in her ear:
"Mrs. Leroux," he said, "there is something which we all would ask you
to tell us; we ask it for a reason--believe me."
Throughout the latter part of this scene the big clock had been chiming
the hour, and now was beating out the twelve strokes of midnight; had
struck six of them and was about to strike the seventh.
SEVEN! boomed the clock.
Mira Leroux opened her eyes and looked up into the face of the
physician.
EIGHT!...
"Who," whispered Dr. Cumberly, "is he?"
NINE!
In the silence following the clock-stroke, Mira Leroux spoke almost
inaudibly.
"You mean... MR. KING?"
TEN!
"Yes, yes! Did you ever SEE him?"...
Every head in the room was craned forward; every spectator tensed up to
the highest ultimate point.
"Yes," said Mira Leroux quite clearly; "I saw him, Dr.
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