"I want to telephone," said Elaine in her halting German.

"But the telephone is downstairs!"

"You must lead me there, nurse."

"No; I cannot do that. It is against orders. The doctor has forbidden you to leave this room, Fraulein."

"I must! I tell you I must! It's----It's--oh, what is the German for 'vital?'"

The nurse shook her head uncomprehendingly.

Elaine rose from her couch and stumbled with outstretched arms against the nurse.

"Please lead me to the telephone and get me my number!" she cried in an agony of anxiety.

"It is against orders. Come, you must lie down again and keep quiet."

There was a brisk rap at the door, and Dr. Hegelmann came in to see how his patient was progressing.

"What's this?" he exclaimed, seeing Elaine standing up and the nurse trying to persuade her to return to her couch.

"Doctor, please let me telephone!"

"To whom?"

"To Mr Riviere. I must speak to him quickly--I _must_!"

"Nurse, do as Fraulein asks," he ordered briefly.

The nurse made no comment, but led her patient downstairs at once, found the telephone number of the laboratory at which Riviere had his research-bench, and called for the connection.

"What do they say?" asked Elaine after a torturing wait.

"They ask me to hold the line."

Again a very long wait.

"What do they say?" asked Elaine again.

"Wait a little.... Yes, I'm here." ... "Mr Riviere has just left the laboratory."

"Where has he gone?" prompted Elaine.

"Where has he gone?" ... "They do not know."

"But I _must_ find him!" cried Elaine. "Try his hotel, please."

The hotel people knew nothing of Riviere's whereabouts.

"Say to them to give him the message to telephone me the moment he arrives."

The nurse gave the message and the telephone number of the home.

Suddenly she felt her patient sway heavily against her. The reaction had set in from the feverish tension of the last hour--Elaine had fainted away.

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE COUNTER-MOVE

Olive, as Elaine had guessed, went straight to Riviere's laboratory to confront him. Not finding him there, she made her way to his hotel and again drew blank.

This left her uncertain as to her next movements. Should she return to the nursing home, and wait about in its neighbourhood in the hope of meeting her husband on his way to see Elaine? That course seemed undignified. Should she try the laboratory once more? That seemed a mere waste of precious time. Should she walk the length of the Wilhelmstra.s.se on the chance of crossing him there? That seemed a very long shot.

On the whole she judged it advisable to return to the Hotel Quisisana, and from there to hold her husband by telephone. Accordingly she said to the hotel porter at Riviere's hotel:

"When Mr Riviere comes in, tell him to 'phone up at once No. 352."

"Already haf I taken zat message, lady."

"To 'phone up No. 352?" asked Olive in surprise.

The porter referred to a slate by his side.

"Your pardon, lady, I am wrong. Ze number gifen me before is 392."

Olive opened her purse, took out a gold piece, and pa.s.sed it into his hand.

"Alter it to 352," she said.

The porter hesitated, looked at the 20-mark piece, looked around the hall to see if anyone were observing him, and then said in a very low voice: "Very goot. Vat name shall I say?"

"Mrs Matheson." She then left for the Quisisana.

And that was why Riviere never received Elaine's message, and why he went first to call on his wife.

Olive received him in her private sitting-room. She was horribly uncertain what line of action she ought to take, now that Elaine had so completely reversed the situation. Her nerves, weakened by the almost continuous drugging of the last few months, were all a-quiver. The threat of the "suitable allowance" drove her to frenzy. She wanted somebody to vent her rage upon, and there was n.o.body to serve the purpose. For a moment she regretted she had not brought her maid with her to Wiesbaden.

Her att.i.tude must depend on Clifford's att.i.tude. But, whatever line of action was to be taken, one point seemed clear. She must be calm with Clifford--forgiving. She must play for the quixotic side of his nature.

She had better be even cordial.

Accordingly she gave him a wifely kiss when he entered.

Riviere wondered how Elaine could have worked this miracle for him.

"You've seen Miss Verney, I suppose?" he suggested.