She began to look about the room for a light. But the lamp had been extinguished. The dull gray daylight filtering through the Venetian blinds sufficiently lit the room. Then the old lady, with a strange, irregular movement, crushed the note together in her hand, placed it in her mouth, and with a convulsive movement of her jaws chewed it, trying to swallow it as quickly as possible. A minute passed, and the note had disappeared.

The old princess closed the strong box and rang for the day nurse. Giving her the usual order in a quiet voice, she had still strentgh enough to support herself on her elbow and watch the nurse closing the wardrobe, and then to put the little bag with the keys back under her pillow, in its accustomed place. then she again ordered the nurse to go.