sual bright colour of his cheeks had become
livid, and the flesh, ordinarily firm and elastic, had fallen in folds
and wrinkles. His eyes burned bright as though from some internal fire.
A great restlessness possessed him. Impulsively Orde leaned forward to
touch his hand. It was dry and hot.

"What is it, Heinzman?" he asked quietly, fully prepared for the
vagaries of a half delirium.

"Ach, Orde!" cried the German, "I am tortured mit HOLLENQUALLE--what you
call?--hell's fire. You, whose wife comes in and saves my Mina when the
others runs away. You, my best friends! It is SCHRECKLICH! She vas the
noblest, the best, the most kindest--"

"If you mean Mrs. Orde's staying with Mina," broke in Orde, "it was only
what any one should have done, in humanity; and I, for one, am only too
glad she had the chance. You mustn't exaggerate. And now you'd better
get home where you can be taken care of. You're sick."

"No, no, my friend," said Heinzman, vigourously shaking his head. "She
might take the disease. She might die. It vas noble." He shuddered. "My
Mina left to die all alone!"

Orde rose to his feet with decision.

"That is all right," said he. "Carroll was glad of the chance. Now let
me get you home."

But Heinzman's excitement had suddenly died.

"No," said he, extending his trembling hand; "sit down. I want to talk
business."

"You are in no condition to talk business," said Orde.

"No!" cried Heinzman with unexpected vigour. "Sit down! Listen to me!
Dot's better. I haf your note for sefenty-five t'ousand dollars. No?"

Orde nodded.

"Dot money I never lent you. NO! I'm not crazy. Sit still! I know my
name is on dot note. But the money came from somewheres else. It came
from your partner, Joseph Newmark."

Orde half rose from his keg.

"Why? What?" he asked in bewilderment.

"Den ven you could not pay the note, I vas to foreclose and hand over
dot Northern Peninsula land to Joseph Newmark, your partner."

"Impossible!" cried Orde.

"I vas to get a share. It vas a trick."

"Go on," said Orde grimly.

"Dere is no go on. Dot is all."

"Why do you come to tell me now?"

"Because for more than one year now I say to mineself, 'Carl Heinzman,
you vas one dirty scoundrel. You vas dishonest; a sneak; a thief';
I don't like to call myself names like dose. It iss all righdt to be
smart; but to be a thief!"

"Why didn't you pull out?" asked Orde.

"I couldn't!" cried Heinzman piteously. "How could I? He