The head fell heavily forward upon my breast, and I sought to arrange the body full-length upon the couch.
"Nay," said the Countess. "Let the head rest there. It knows its proper place."
"I told you the truth; believe it or not as you please!" I repeated, exasperated by her cruel indifference to Lady Tracy. "I never so much as set eyes upon this lady before to-day. I know that now. For the first time in my life, I saw her when I left you but a few minutes ago. She was waiting on horseback at your steps, and I persuaded her to dismount and bear me out with you."
"A very likely plausible story," sneered Ilga. "And whom did your friend await at my steps?"
"Her brother," I replied shortly. "Hugh Marston."
"Her brother!" she exclaimed. "We'll even test the truth of that."
She ran quickly to the foot of the stairs, as though she would ascend them. But seeing Otto still posted agape half-way up, she stopped and called to him.
"Tell Mr. Marston that his sister lies in the hall in a dead faint!"
Otto recovered his wits, and went slowly up to the parlour, while the Countess eyed me triumphantly. But in a moment Marston came flying down the stairs; he flung himself on his knees beside his sister.
"Betty!" he cried aloud, and again, whispering it into her ear with a caressing reproach, "Betty!" He shook her gently by the shoulders, like one that wakes a child from sleep. "Is there no help, no doctor near?"