-no--no!" cried the young man wildly, and then his voice thoroughly
broke, becoming almost inaudible as he tried to declare his news.

"I can't bear it," he panted; "I can't bear it. Morris--Landon--don't
take any notice of me--I've kept all this in for days, and now--now--Oh,
tell me--is it true, or am I going mad?"

The young man sank heavily into the chair to which his friends helped
him, and then he lay back quivering, with his hands covering his face,
while the doctor made a sign to his companion and went hurriedly into
his consulting-room, where he turned up the gas and then opened a
cabinet, from which he took down a stoppered bottle and a graduated
glass, into which he carefully measured a small portion, half filled the
glass from a table filter, and then hurried back into the dining-room.

"Drink this, Frank, my boy," he said.

"No, no; let me be. I shall soon come round."

"Drink this, my lad," said the doctor sternly; "it is for your good."

The young man caught the glass from his friend's hand, tossed down the
contents, shuddered, and then drew a deep breath, pulling himself
together directly.

"I'm better now," he said. "It has all been such a shock, and I've been
travelling night and day."

"Where from?" said the doctor, so as to give the young fellow time for
the medicine to produce its effect.

"Berlin," was the reply.

"Berlin? That accounts for it. I was wondering why you had not been
here. I thought you were in Paris about some mineral business."

"I was there, but I heard some news about--about poor Hal."

"Indeed?" said the professor, growing excited now.

"Yes, it was from a gentleman who had escaped out of Khartoum."

"Go on, my lad; go on," said Morris.

"Yes, yes, I can go on now," said the young man calmly. "Don't think
any more about what I said."

"No, no, of course not, Frank, my lad," said the doctor; "but pray speak
out. Landon and I are suffering pain."

"Of course, and I've travelled night and day as I told you, so as to
bring you the news myself. This German gentleman has been a prisoner
ever since Khartoum was taken by the Mahdi, and only managed to get out
of the place in disguise six months ago."

"Yes, yes," said the doctor excitedly, and the professor took up a
carafe and made it rattle against a glass as he hurriedly poured out
some water and drank it with avidity.

"He knew poor old Hal well by sight, and spoke to him twice, and heard
who he was.