in the hotel. Visitors came anxiously to inquire
after the young gentleman's condition, and urged a second opinion. And
one or two were inconsiderate enough to suggest that the patient was not
having fair play.

Under these distressing circumstances, Captain Oliphant decided to write
a line to Dr Brandram.

"Roger has unfortunately taken a chill. Will you kindly forward me the
prescription which benefited him so much last summer, as I am naturally
anxious to omit no precaution for the dear fellow's good. He is being
well cared for, and will, I trust, be all right in a day or two."

Dr Brandram's reply to this transparent communication was to order his
dogcart and take the first train to London. Before starting, he had
time to send a telegram to Armstrong to meet him at the hotel the same
evening.

Little dreaming of the effect of his message, Captain Oliphant was
spending a resigned afternoon in the sick-room. Fate was working on his
side once more. Mr Ratman had apparently vanished into space. Mr
Armstrong was out of the way. The practitioner's face had been longer
than ever when he took his leave a few hours ago. The difficulties and
disappointments of the past few months were giving way to better
prospects. The good man's conscience accused him of no actual injury to
his ward. On the contrary, he could honestly say he had devoted time,
money, personal fatigue, to tending him. He had secured him medical
attendance, he had advised the family doctor of his indisposition. He
had sat up with him day and night. Was it his fault if the illness took
a bad turn, and the Maxfield property changed its owner? He should like
to meet the man who could lay anything at his door.

Roger turned on his pillow and began to wander--

"Tell him I believe it. I'll go and find the grave-digger. Ask
Fastnet, and Compton, and all of them. No more sherry, thanks. Yes,
sir, I said you were no gentleman. I repeat it. You have no right to
mention her name. Shut the door, Rosalind. There's only eleven months
to do it in. He is waiting at the General Post Office. Armstrong has
gone away. They expelled him from the club."

"Poor fellow," sighed the captain, as he smoothed the sufferer's pillow;
"poor fellow! How absurdly he talks."

So engrossed was he in his ministrations that he failed to perceive the
door behind him softly open and a gentleman enter.

Mr Armstrong had outstripped the doctor in the race to tow