ere asked to wait for a few moments in the outer office or
reception room. The doctor was occupied for the moment, the attendant
said, but an instant later the same attendant beckoned me outside.

'Come this way a moment,' he whispered. 'The doctor wishes to speak
with you.'

I murmured an excuse to the ladies, and went to the doctor in his
little private room near by.

'When you were here,' he began, putting out his hand to me, 'I was
preoccupied and you were in haste. There is something concerning our
patient that you, as his friend, must know. By the way, has he any
nearer friends than yourself at hand?'

'I believe not,' I replied briefly. 'I hope he is not worse, doctor?'

'No, not that, though he's bad enough. But you remember the sailors
who came with you said that he had struck against the boat in falling,
and we decided, rather hastily, that this was the cause of the wound
and swelling. In fact, it was the swelling which misled us. We could
not examine closely until it was somewhat reduced; but this morning,
after the wound was washed and cleansed for the new dressing, I found
that the hurt upon the head was caused, not by contact with a blunt
piece of wood, but by something hard, sharp, and somewhat uneven of
surface; a stone, I should say, or a piece of old iron--a blow, in
fact.'

'Ah!' the sudden thought that came to me caused me to start; but after
a moment I said:

'I do not doubt it. The fellows that made the attack are equal to
worse things than that. I think, from what I know and guess at, the
weapon may have been a sling of stones or bits of iron, tied in an old
bandana.'

I did not tell him that this was said to be one of Greenback Bob's
favourite modes of attack, and of defence, too, when otherwise
unarmed. In fact, I said nothing to further indicate my knowledge of
the assailants of our patient. But I got back to the ladies at once,
after thanking the doctor, telling myself that his information would
make the charge against the miscreants, when captured, stronger and
more serious, if that were needful.

When Miss Jenrys stood by the cot where the injured man lay, pallid
and weak, with great dark lines beneath his eyes and his head swathed
in bandages, I saw her start and shiver, and the slight colour in an
already unusually pale face fade out, leaving her cheek as white as
that upon the pillow. The small hand clenched itself until the dainty
glove was drawn to the point of bursting; the