dulously.

"Very well," I said, "I don't mean to bandy words with you"; and I turned
to go.

At that he came after me with a frightened choke.

"Doctor, your mission's a merciful one. I'm not trying to sauce you. For
God's sake have me moved! I can see further than most, I tell you!"

The fellow's manner gave me pause. He was patently and beyond the pride
of concealment terrified.

"What do you see?" I repeated stubbornly.

"It isn't that I see, but I know. The cell's not empty!"

I stared at him in considerable wonderment.

"I will make inquiries," I said. "You may take that for a promise. If the
cell proves empty, you stop where you are."

I noticed that he dropped his hands with a lost gesture as I left him. I
was sufficiently moved to accost the warder who awaited me on the spot.

"Johnson," I said, "is that cell--"

"Empty, sir," answered the man sharply and at once.

Before I could respond, F---- came suddenly to the door, which I still
held open.

"You lying cur!" he shouted. "You damned lying cur!"

The warder thrust the man back with violence.

"Now you, 49," he said, "dry up, and none of your sauce!" and he banged
to the door with a sounding slap, and turned to me with a lowering face.
The prisoner inside yelped and stormed at the studded panels.

"That cell's empty, sir," repeated Johnson.

"Will you, as a matter of conscience, let me convince myself? I promised
the man."

"No, I can't."

"You can't?"

"No, sir."

"This is a piece of stupid discourtesy. You can have no reason, of
course?"

"I can't open it--that's all."

"Oh, Johnson! Then I must go to the fountain-head."

"Very well, sir."

Quite baffled by the man's obstinacy, I said no more, but walked off. If
my anger was roused, my curiosity was piqued in proportion.

* * * * *

I had no opportunity of interviewing the Governor all day, but at night I
visited him by invitation to play a game of piquet.

He was a man without "incumbrances"--as a severe conservatism designates
the _lares_ of the cottage--and, at home, lived at his ease and indulged
his amusements without comment.

I found him "tasting" his books, with which the room was well lined, and
drawing with relish at an excellent cigar in the intervals of the
courses.

He nodded to me, and held out an open volume in his left hand.

"Listen to this fellow," he said, tapping the page with his fingers:--

"'The most tolerable so