I mean, after a while, to buy a practice and
settle down."

"But in the mean time your medical knowledge must be growing rather rusty.
I have heard physicians say that it is only after they have obtained their
degree that they begin to learn their profession. And the practice you get
on board these ships cannot amount to much."

"You are quite right," I said, frankly, for my conscience was touched. "I
am, as you say, living too much for the present. I know less than I knew
when I left Guy's. I could not pass my 'final' over again to save my life.
You are quite right: I must turn over a new leaf."

"I am glad to hear you say so, the more especially as I have a proposal to
make; and as I make it quite as much in my own interest as in yours, you
will incur no obligation in accepting it. I want you to become an inmate
of my house, help me in my laboratory, and act as my secretary and
domestic physician, and when I am away from home, as my representative.
You will have free quarters, of course; my stable will be at your disposal
for hunting purposes, and you may go sometimes to London to attend
lectures and do practical work at your hospital. As for salary--you can
fix it yourself, when you have ascertained by actual experience the
character of your work. What do you say?"

Mr. Fortescue put this question as if he had no doubt about my answer, and
I fulfilled his expectation by answering promptly in the affirmative. The
proposal seemed in every way to my advantage, and was altogether to my
liking; and even had it been less so I should have accepted it, for what I
had just heard greatly whetted my curiosity, and made me more desirous
than ever to know the history of the extraordinary man with whom I had so
strangely come in contact, and ascertain the secret of his wealth.

The same day I wrote to Alston announcing the dissolution of our
partnership, and leaving him to deal with the horses at Red Chimneys as he
might think fit.

CHAPTER IV.

A RESCUE.

My curiosity was rather long in being gratified, and but for a very
strange occurrence, which I shall presently describe, probably never would
have been gratified. Even after I had been a member of Mr. Fortescue's
household for several months, I knew little more of his antecedents and
circumstances than on the day when he made me the proposal which I have
just mentioned. If I attempted to lead up to the subject, he would either
cleverly evade it or say bluntly t