“And what was it?”
“Darley.”
Sydney fell back in his chair and grew as white as a ghost.
CHAPTER XXVII
SYDNEY GOES ON A MYSTERIOUS EXPEDITION
The family were greatly alarmed at Sydney’s collapse. Mrs. Pell had fondly hoped that his Southern trip would be of permanent benefit to him, and here he was breaking down on the first night of his return.
Not one of them associated his seizure in any way with the subject on which they had been talking except Rex. He could not but recall a somewhat similar attack, when Sydney had fainted in his office while he (Rex) was telling Scott Bowman of their inheritance.
But Miles Harding’s affairs had nothing to do with this. What did it all mean? Rex asked himself, as he sped off for the doctor.
When he got back, Sydney had come to, but seemed to be suffering severely. And yet when asked if he was in pain, he would shake his head and beg so imploringly that they would leave him to himself, that the fears of the family were intensified many fold.
The doctor was utterly nonplused. He prescribed a quieting potion, and went away, promising to return again in the morning.
“And perhaps you had better humor him in his desire to be left alone,” he said to Mrs. Pell. “But of course arrange to be near in case another collapse occurs.”