oon. And Miss Penfold saw you just before the accident. She
was sketching in St. John's Vale, and you helped her fish something
out of the water."

"By Jove!--so I did," he said, slowly. "Tatham?" He pondered. "Tell Lady
Tatham I'm much obliged to her."

And he went to sleep again.

The next time he woke, he saw an unfamiliar figure sitting beside him.
His hold upon himself seemed to have grown much stronger. It was evening,
and though the windows were still wide open a lamp had been lit.

"Are you Mr. Melrose?" he asked, amazed at the clearness of his own
voice.

A gray-haired man moved his chair nearer.

"That's all right. You'll soon be well now. Do you feel much better?"

"I--I feel nearly well. How long have I been here?"

"About three weeks."

"I say--that's a nuisance! I'm very sorry to put you to inconvenience."

"Wasn't your fault. It was the doctor who brought you here." The tone of
the words was round and masterful. "Are you comfortable? Have you all you
want?"

"Everything. The nurses are A1. I say--has some one written to my uncle?"

"Undershaw wrote to a Mr. George Faversham last week. He was ill with
rheumatic gout, couldn't come. Is that the uncle you mean?"

The young man nodded.

"He's the only relation I've got. The other one died. Hullo!"

He made a sudden movement. His hand slipped into his breast and found
nothing. He raised himself in bed, with a frowning brow.

"I say!"--he looked urgently at Melrose. "Where are my gems?--and my
ring?"

"Don't trouble yourself. They were brought to me. I have them locked up."

Faversham's expression relaxed. He let himself slide down upon his
pillows.

"By George!--if I'd lost them."

Melrose studied him closely.

"They're all right. What do you know about gems?"

"Only what Uncle Mackworth taught me. We were great pals. He was my
guardian. I lived with him in the holidays after my parents died. I knew
all his gems. And now he's left them to me."

"Where are the rest?"

"I left the cabinet in charge of a man I know at the British Museum. He
promised to lock it up in one of their strong rooms. But those six I
always carry with me."

Melrose laughed.

"But those are just the six that should have been locked up. They are
worth all the rest."

The young man slowly turned his head.

"Did you know my Uncle Mackworth?"

"Certainly. And I too knew all his gems. I could tell you the histories
of those six, anyway, for generations. If