"HE WAS WALKING IN HIS SLEEP, CONSCIOUS OF NOTHING."
Maxwell-Pitt shook his head.
Her eyes blazed in anger. "You will not? Mon Dieu! then I sound the alarm."
"How will you account for this?" said Maxwell-Pitt, pointing to the case on the table.
"I do not know. I do not care," she answered. "Give me the medal, or I ring."
Her hand clutched the bell rope. "Shall I ring or not?" she demanded.
Again there was a sound at the door. Once more he turned off his light. The door opened wide, and Captain Richards entered, carrying a lighted candle in his hand.
Maxwell-Pitt and Adèle stood there transfixed. The light shone full on them, but Captain Richards took no heed of them. His eyes were fixed, staring into space. He was walking in his sleep, conscious of nothing that was going on around him. He placed his candle on the side table, sat down in his easy chair, drew the book-rest towards him, and leaned back, staring vacantly at the pages of the open book.
Adèle released the bell rope and held a warning finger to her lips. She stepped lightly to Maxwell-Pitt. "Sh! it is dangerous to awaken him," she whispered. "Once they awakened my cousin suddenly when he walked like that in his sleep. He was never the same here again," and she tapped her forehead. "Now go at once, but softly."