rly helped him to his feet.

"My cozin's boy, he ron quick," said Wutzler. "Dose fellows, dey not
catch him! Kom."

They threaded the gloom swiftly. Wutzler, ready and certain of his
ground, led the tortuous way through narrow and greasy galleries, along
the side of a wall, and at last through an unlighted gate, free of
the town.

In the moonlight he stared at his companion, cackled, clapped his
thighs, and bent double in unholy convulsions.

"My gracious me!" He laughed immoderately. "Oh, I wait zo fearful, you
kom zo fonny!" For a while he clung, shaking, to the young man's arm.
"My friendt, zo fonny you look! My gootness me!" At last he regained
himself, stood quiet, and added very pointedly, "What did _yow_ lern?"

"Nothing," replied Heywood, angrily. "Nothing. Fragrant Ones! Not a bad
name. Phew!--Oh, I say, what did they mean? What Black Dog is to bark?"

"Black Dog? Black Dog iss cannon." The man became, once more, as keen as
a gossip. "What cannon? When dey shoot him off?"

"Can't tell," said his friend. "That's to be their signal."

"I do not know," The conical hat wagged sagely. "I go find out." He
pointed across the moonlit spaces. "Ofer dere iss your house. You can no
more. _Schlafen Sie wohl_."

The two men wrung each other's hands.

"Shan't forget this, Wutz."

"Oh, for me--all you haf done--" The outcast turned away, shaking his
head sadly.

Never did Heywood's fat water-jar glisten more welcome than when he
gained the vaulted bath-room. He ripped off his blood-stained clothes,
scrubbed the sacrificial clots from his hair, and splashed the cool
water luxuriously over his exhausted body. When at last he had thrown a
kimono about him, and wearily climbed the stairs, he was surprised to
see Rudolph, in the white-washed room ahead, pacing the floor and
ardently twisting his little moustache. As Heywood entered, he wheeled,
stared long and solemnly.

"I must wait to tell you." He stalked forward, and with his sound left
hand grasped Heywood's right. "This afternoon, you--"

"My dear boy, it's too hot. No speeches."

But Rudolph's emotion would not be hindered.

"This afternoon," he persisted, with tragic voice and eyes, "this
afternoon I nearly was killed."

"So was I.--Which seems to meet that." And Heywood pulled free.

"Oh," cried Rudolph, fervently. "I know! I feel--If you knew what I--My
life--"

The weary stoic in the blue kimono eyed him very coldly, then plucked
him by the slee