ng been waiting, elicited a peremptory order for the Demon; and Amar
Singh departed, mystified but obedient. The Sahib he worshipped, with
the implicit worship of his race, was a very perplexing person at
times.

James Mackay's verdict--given well out of the patient's hearing--was
immediate and to the point.

"Typhoid, of course--104 deg. Fool of a boy not to have sent for me
sooner. Ought to have been in bed two days ago. Get him there sharp,
and do what you can with wet sheets and compresses. I'll wire for a
nurse, but we shan't get one. Never do. Not a ounce of ice in the
place, and won't be for three days. That's always the way. He'll keep
you on the go all night by the looks of him. May as well let the Major
do most of it. You'd be none the worse for a few hours in bed
yourself."

A certain lift of Desmond's head signified tacit denial, and the
astute Scotsman knew better than to insist. Meeting Wyndham at the
gate, he counselled a policy of non-resistance.

"The fellow's overdone without knowing it," he said. "Take my advice,
man, and let him gang his ain gait. Fever or no, he's hard as nails,
and he'll be glad enough to knock under in twenty-four hours' time."

Throughout that night of anxious battling with the fire of fever the
two Englishmen seemed translated into mechanical contrivances for the
administering of milk, brandy, and chicken-broth; for the incessant
changing of soaked sheets, that were none too cool at best; and for
allaying, as far as might be, a thirst that no water on earth can
quench.

Nothing draws men into closer union than a common danger, or a common
anxiety; and in the past twelve years these two had stood shoulder to
shoulder through both many times over. But their zeal produced no
manifest results. Denvil's temperature rose steadily, and his stress
of mind broke out in a semi-coherent babble of remorse and
self-justification, of argument and appeal, of desperate reckonings in
regard to ways and means. Desmond left his station by the bed and
crossed over to his friend, who was noiselessly washing a cup and
saucer.

"Don't hear any more of that than you can help. Fact, you might as
well take your chance of a short rest till he's quieter. I'll come and
tell you, no fear."

Paul glanced up with his slow smile from the saucer he was polishing
with elaborate care.

"On your word, Theo?"

"On my word."

And he retired obediently to his own room--the room that in the cold
weathe