Sir Norman, though he did not much approve of this, could not very well
object, and the two sallied forth together. Walking a short distance
up Piccadilly, they struck off into a bye street, and soon reached the
house they were in search of. Sir Norman knocked loudly at the door,
which was opened by the doctor himself. Briefly and rapidly Sir Norman
informed him how and where his services were required; and the doctor
being always provided with everything necessary for such cases, set out
with him immediately. Fifteen minutes after leaving his own house, Sir
Norman was back there again, and standing in his own chamber. But a
simultaneous exclamation of amazement and consternation broke from him
and Ormiston, as on entering the room they found the bed empty, and the
lady gone!
A dead pause followed, during which the three looked blankly at the bed,
and then at each other. The scene, no doubt, would have been ludicrous
enough to a third party; but neither of our trio could saw anything
whatever to laugh at. Ormiston was the first to speak.
"What in Heaven's name has happened!" he wonderingly exclaimed.
"Some one has been here," said Sir Norman, turning very pale, "and
carried her off while we were gone."
"Let us search the house," said the doctor; "you should have locked your
door, Sir Norman; but it may not be too late yet."
Acting on the hint, Sir Norman seized the lamp burning on the table, and
started on the search. His two friends followed him, and "The highest, the lowest, the loveliest spot,
They searched for the lady, and found her not."
No, though there was not the slightest trace of robbers or intruders,
neither was there the slightest trace of the beautiful plague-patient.
Everything in the house was precisely as it always was, but the silver
shining vision was gone.