heard the slight rasping of the
fork in the keyhole. Then the door was opened and the older partner
entered. Before speaking he carefully relocked the door.

"I believe you're glad to see me," he said to Ned. "You're sitting up. I
don't think I ever before saw a boy improve so much in twenty-four
hours. I'll just feel your pulse. It will be one of my duties as senior
partner to practice medicine for a little while. Yes, it's a strong
pulse, a good pulse. You're quite clear of fever. You need nothing now
but your strength back again, and we'll wait for that. All things come
to him who waits, if he doesn't die of old age first."

His talk was so rapid and cheerful that he seemed fairly to radiate
vigor. It was a powerful tonic to Ned who felt so strong that he was
prepared to attempt escape at once. But Obed shook his head when he
suggested it.

"That strength comes from your feelings," he said. "All that glitters
isn't gold or silver or any other precious metal. That false strength
would break down under a long and severe test. We'll just wait and plan.
For what we're going to undertake you're bound to have every ounce of
vigor that you can accumulate."

"You've been able to go out in the hall when you chose, then why haven't
you gone away already?" asked Ned.

"I didn't get my key perfected until a few days ago, and then as I heard
you yelling in here I decided to find out about you. Two are company;
one is none, and so we formed a partnership. Now when the firm acts both
partners must act."

Ned did not reply directly. He did not know how to thank him for his
generosity.

"Have you explored the hall?" he asked.

"It leads up a narrow stairway, down which I came some time ago when my
Mexican brethren decided that I was too much of a Texan patriot.
Doubtless you trod the same dark and narrow path. At the head of that is
another door which I have not tried, but which I know I can open with
this master key of mine. Beyond that I'm ignorant of the territory, but
there must be a way out since there was one in. Now, Ned, we must make
no mistake. We must not conceal from ourselves that the firm of White &
Fulton is confronted by a great task. We must select our time, and have
ready for the crisis every particle of strength, courage and quickness
that we possess."

Ned knew that he was right, and yet, despite his youth and natural
strength, his convalescence was slow. He had passed through too terrible
an ordeal to