e a brighter
smile came into his pleasant vacant face; "that's better--that's better.
Here's Mr--Mr--Mr--"

"Poynter, doctor," said that individual, glad of an opportunity to
remove his eyes from Mark's, which were gazing at him rather inimically.

"Yes, yes, Mr Poynter come to see us, Rich."

"And I have come to see you too, doctor," said Mark. "You remember me?"

The doctor looked up at him keenly, and then shook his head, and, with a
troubled look in his eyes.

"No," he said. "No--no--no."

"Hah!" ejaculated Poynter, with a smile of satisfaction.

"Mark Heath, father dear," said Rich gently, "Don't you remember Mr
Heath, who went to the Cape?"

"Heath?" said the doctor; "Heath--Heath? No--no," he added
thoughtfully. "Glad to see Mr Heath. Friend of Hendon's?" His words
were calm, but he seemed to wince.

"No, doctor: I'm Hendon's friend," said Poynter, with a laugh; and he
gave his hat a loving wipe.

"Yes, Mr Poynter. You came to see me the day before yesterday. I
remember--remember. I prescribed--"

"That's right, sir; that's right," cried Poynter, with one of his horse
laughs.

"Is this man going, Hendon?" whispered Mark impatiently.

"No, Mr Mark Heath, he ain't," said Poynter fiercely. "Speak lower if
you don't want people to hear; we've got sharp ears in the City, and I'm
not going."

"No, no; Mr Poynter has come to see me," said the doctor, gazing in a
frightened way at Mark. "Don't go, Mr Poynter. It's very dull here."

"I'm not going, doctor. It's all right," said the unwelcome visitor.
"You're going to set me right."

"You'll excuse me--Mr Poynter, I think," said Mark; "but I have some
private business to transact with Dr Chartley."

"Yes, I'll excuse you as much as you like. I've got private business
with Doctor Chartley, too."

"Why, Mark," cried Hendon, "have you found out anything about your
loss?"

"Yes. No. Well, yes; I have learned something," cried Mark excitedly,
and he glanced again angrily at Poynter.

But the latter's unwelcome presence seemed to be ignored by all, in the
intense excitement of the moment. For Rich threw herself upon her knees
at her father's feet, and took his hands.

"Father dear," she said gently, "I want you to try and remember
something."

"Yes, my dear, yes--certainly, certainly," said the old man, bending
down to kiss her tenderly.

"That night, you know, when--when you were taken ill."

"Yes, my love, that night I was take