on the table, removed the covers, and in a
moment the two men were again alone. With a deep sigh of satisfaction
Cavendish drew a chair to the table and set to work on the steaming
dishes before him.

"Jupiter!" he said, with the first mouthful poised on his fork, "you
don't know what this means, Barclay, and you can thank God you don't. I
won't attempt to thank you. Go on, and tell me about yourself."

"I've no intention of doing that just at present," replied the
Lieutenant-Governor, settling himself more comfortably in his chair. "I
want to talk about you. Don't be afraid. I'm not going to preach! But I
_am_ going to say that while I understand a good deal of what you've
said, the last part is pure rot! You're a bit of a wreck, of course, but
it isn't your pride or your self-respect or whatever you choose to call
it, that's gone. It's only your nerve. Now you've had your experience,
and you're back where you belong, and you've friends who like you, and
who can help you, and who will. I'm in a position to do so myself, and I
don't expect you to make any bones about accepting my assistance, and
whatever money you need for the moment. It will be a loan, of course, to
be repaid when you're on your feet again. We'll have you there in no
time. When you've made way with the grub, you can bunk down on that
divan for the night, and in the morning I'll tog you out in one of my
outfits, and you can set about getting back on _terra firma_. You'll
have to shake the drink, that goes without saying."

Cavendish straightened himself suddenly, laid down his knife and fork,
and laughed shortly.

"It sounds well," he said bitterly, "but you don't understand, Barclay.
It's too late! I don't care, and if I did, I couldn't shake the drink to
save my immortal soul. I'm steady enough for the time being, because I'm
hungry and because I'm being fed. But I've tried the other game too
often. I know what it means. I wouldn't promise you to quit, because I
don't want to lie to you, and that's all it would be. When the craving
comes back, I'll go down before it like a row of tenpins. No, Barclay,
it won't do."

"Nonsense, man! Do you want to tell me you're as weak as that?"

"Every bit!" said Cavendish, attacking the steak again.

"Well, I don't believe it, that's all. In the morning you'll be a
different man. I'll give you a bromide when you're ready for bed. You're
shaky, as it is, but that's all a matter of nerves. Now we'll drop the
s