over me. I lay watching Summerlee revive under the same remedy,
and finally Lord John took his turn. He sprang to his feet and
gave me a hand to rise, while Challenger picked up his wife and
laid her on the settee.

"Oh, George, I am so sorry you brought me back," she said,
holding him by the hand. "The door of death is indeed, as you
said, hung with beautiful, shimmering curtains; for, once the
choking feeling had passed, it was all unspeakably soothing and
beautiful. Why have you dragged me back?"

"Because I wish that we make the passage together. We have been
together so many years. It would be sad to fall apart at the
supreme moment."

For a moment in his tender voice I caught a glimpse of a new
Challenger, something very far from the bullying, ranting,
arrogant man who had alternately amazed and offended his
generation. Here in the shadow of death was the innermost
Challenger, the man who had won and held a woman's love.
Suddenly his mood changed and he was our strong captain once
again.

"Alone of all mankind I saw and foretold this catastrophe," said
he with a ring of exultation and scientific triumph in his
voice. "As to you, my good Summerlee, I trust your last doubts
have been resolved as to the meaning of the blurring of the
lines in the spectrum and that you will no longer contend that
my letter in the Times was based upon a delusion."