e, unless it got too uncomfortable, of
course."

Winn apologized instantly. Mr. Bouncing accepted his apology graciously.

"You'll learn," he explained kindly, "how to talk to very ill people in
time, and then probably you'll never see any more of them. Experience is
a very silly thing, I've often noticed; it hops about so. No continuity.
What I was going to say was, don't be worried about young Rivers and my
wife. Take my word for it, you're making a great mistake."

"I am glad to hear you say so," Winn answered. "As a matter of fact, I
have at present a few little private worries of my own; but I'm
relieved, you think the Rivers boy is all right. I've been thinking of
having a little talk with that tutor of his."

"Ah, I shouldn't do that if I were you," said Mr. Bouncing, urgently;
"you're sure to be violent. I see you have a great deal of violence in
you; you ought to control it. It's bad for your nerves. There are things
I could tell you which would make you change your mind about young
Rivers, but I don't know that I shall; it would excite me too much. I
think I should like you to go down and telephone to Dr. Gurnet. Tell him
my temperature is normal. It's a very odd thing; I haven't had a normal
temperature for over three years. Perhaps I'm going to get better, after
all. It's really only my breathing that's troubling me to-night. It
would be funny if I got well, wouldn't it? But I mustn't talk any more;
so don't come back until I knock in the night. Pass me the 'Pink 'Un.'"
Winn passed him the "Pink 'Un" and raised him with one deft, strong
movement more comfortably up on his pillows.

"You've got quite a knack for this sort of thing," Mr. Bouncing
observed. "If you'd been a clever man, you might have been a doctor."

Mr. Bouncing did not knock during the night. Winn heard him stirring at
ten o'clock, and went in. The final change had come very quickly. Mr.
Bouncing was choking. He waved his hand as if the very appearance of
Winn between him and the open balcony door kept away from him the air
that he was vainly trying to breathe. Then a rush of blood came in a
stream between his lips. Winn moved quickly behind him and lifted him in
his arms.

Mr. Bouncing was no weight at all, and he made very little sound. He was
quite conscious, and the look in his eyes was more interested than
alarmed. The rush of bleeding stopped suddenly; his breathing was weaker
and quieter, but he no longer choked.

"Look here,