een for six months. Come on, for God's sake,
and help me to save a life, maybe two lives, from the very man that's
done the boot-leggin' and robbin' in this town for months and months."
Saxon's words were convincing enough.

"What can I do?" Burgess asked. "I'm not a policeman."

"Come on! Come on!" Saxon urged, tugging at the professor's arm. "It 's
a life, I tell you."

Vincent yielded unwillingly, the night, the beating rain, the man who
asked it of him, the purpose, his own unfitness--all holding him back.
Before they had gone far, Bond Saxon suddenly exclaimed:

"Say, Professor, do you remember the night I asked you to take care of
Dennie if anything should happen to me?"

"Do YOU remember it?" Burgess responded. "You didn't ask; you demanded."

"I was drunk then. I'm sober now. Burgess, if anything should happen to
me now, would you still be willing?" Bond Saxon asked in tense anxiety.

"I've already taken oath," Burgess said. "I think your daughter may need
somebody's care before anything happens if you keep up this gait."

They hurried on through the rain until they had left the board walk and
the town lights, and were staggering along the cinder-made path, when
Burgess halted.

"Saxon, who's the man, or two men, you want to save? I believe you are
drunk."

Bond Saxon grasped his arm, and said hoarsely:

"Don't shriek here. We are in danger, now. It's not two men. It's a man
and a woman, maybe. It's Dean Funnybone. Come on!"

CHAPTER X. THE THIEF IN THE MOUTH

_O, thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no,
name to be known by, let us call thee, devil!_
--SHAKESPEARE

WHEN Lloyd Fenneben could think again, the waters had receded, the
rock ledge had turned to a pillow under his head, the river bank was a
straight white hospital wall, sunlight and sweet air for the darkness
and the rain, and Norrie Wream was beside him instead of the brutal
stranger. His heavy black hair was shorn away and his head was bound
with much soft cotton stuffs. His left arm was full of prickles, as if
the blood had just resumed circulation.

"And meantime?" he said, looking up at Elinor.

"Yes, meantime, it's June time," Elinor replied.

"Well, and what of Sunrise? Did we--"

"Oh, yes, we did. The college first. The ruling passion, strong in the
hospital. When a Wream gets to kingdom-come, he always asks Saint
Peter first for a mortar board and gown instead of a crown and wings."
Norri