e reason I should have found it difficult to say why. "Sir
George, when I called on you at the Museum that morning, you told me
you would rather see me in my grave than connected in any way with
Pharos."

"Well?" he inquired, looking up at me with a face that had suddenly lost
its usual ruddy hue. "What makes you remind me of that now?"

"Because," I answered, "if it were not for one person's sake I could
wish that that opportunity had been vouchsafed you. I have been two
months with Pharos."

"Well?" he said again.

"What more do you expect me to say?" I continued. Then, sinking my voice
a little, as if I were afraid Pharos might be within hearing distance, I
added, "Sir George, if I were to tell you all I know about that man----"

"You must tell me nothing," he cried hastily. "I know too much already."

We walked for some distance in silence, and it was not until we were
opposite Devonshire House that we spoke again.

Then Sir George said abruptly, and with a desire to change the subject
that could not be disguised, "Of course you have heard the terrible news
this morning?"

Following the direction of his eyes I saw what had put the notion into
his head. A news-seller was standing in the gutter on the other side of
the street, holding in his hand the usual placard setting forth the
contents of the papers he had for sale. On this was printed in large
letters--

TERRIBLE OUTBREAK OF THE PLAGUE IN LONDON.

"You refer to the plague, I presume?" I said, with an assumed calmness I
was far from feeling. "From that headline it would seem to have made
its appearance in London after all."

"It has, indeed," said Sir George, with a gloominess that was far from
usual with him. "Can it be possible you have not seen the papers?"

"I have scarcely seen a paper since I left London," I replied. "I have
been far too busy. Tell me about it. Is it so very bad?"

"It has come upon us like a thunderclap," he answered. "Two days ago it
was not known. Yesterday there was but one case, and that in the
country. This morning there are no less than three hundred and
seventy-five, and among them some of our most intimate friends. God help
us if it gets worse! The authorities assure us they can stamp it out
with ease, but it is my opinion this is destined to prove a grave crisis
in England's history. However, it does not do to look on the black side
of things, so I'll not turn prophet. Our ways part here, do they not? In
that c