pecial!" It was with some effort, and only when the man was close
at hand, that he interpreted the sounds into these words.

"Paper, sir," said the man; and he bought it and went in. He entered his
dining-room, and read the following paragraph;--

"A Mysterious Case.

"A report has reached us that a young man, about two or four and
twenty years of age, whose name is at present unknown, was found
yesterday (Sunday) to all appearance dead in a first-class carriage
of the 5 P.M. train from Brighton to Victoria. The discovery was
only made at Grosvenor Road Station, where tickets are taken before
entering Victoria. At Victoria the body was searched for purposes
of identification, and there was found upon him a card with the
following remarkable inscription:--'_I am not dead. Take me to the
St. James's Hospital._' To St. James's Hospital accordingly the
young man was conveyed. It seems probable he is in a condition of
trance--not for the first time--since he was provided with the
card, and knew the hospital with which is associated in all men's
minds the name of Dr Lefevre, who is so famous for his skill in the
treatment of nervous disorders."

In matters of plain duty Dr Lefevre had got into the excellent habit of
acting first and thinking afterwards. He at once rang the bell, and
ordered the responsible serving-man who appeared to call a cab. The man
went to the door and sounded his shrill whistle, grateful to the ears of
several loitering cabbies. There was a mad race of growlers and hansoms
for the open door. Dr Lefevre got into the first hansom that drew up,
and drove off to the hospital. By that time he had told himself that the
young man must be a former patient of his (though he did not remember
any such), and that he ought to see him at once, although it is not
for the visiting physician of a hospital to appear, except
between fixed hours of certain days. He made nothing of the mystery
which the newspaper wished, after the manner of its kind, to cast about
the case, and thought of other things, while he smoked cigarettes, till
he reached the hospital. The house-physician was somewhat surprised by
his appearance.

"I have just read that paragraph," said Lefevre, handing him the paper.

"Oh yes, sir," said the house-physician. "The man was brought in last
night. Dr Dowling" [the resident assistant-physician] "saw him, and
thought it a ca