ory in delirium, but there is no reason,
I fancy, why they shouldn't paraphrase. I should reduce the number of
nurses to a minimum if I were you."

A determined fierceness possessed me at the moment. I said to him: "She
shall nurse him, Hungerford--she, and Justine Caron, and myself."

"Plus Dick Hungerford," he added. "I don't know quite how you intend to
work this thing, but you have the case in your hands, and what you've
told me about the French girl shows that she is to be trusted. But as
for myself, Marmion M.D., I'm sick--sick--sick of this woman, and all
her words and works. I believe that she has brought bad luck to this
ship; and it's my last voyage on it; and--and I begin to think you're a
damned good fellow--excuse the insolence of it; and--good-night."

For the rest of the night I listened to Galt Roscoe's wild words. He
tossed from side to side, and murmured brokenly. Taken separately, and
as they were spoken, his words might not be very significant, but pieced
together, arranged, and interpreted through even scant knowledge of
circumstances, they were sufficient to give me a key to difficulties
which, afterwards, were to cause much distress. I arrange some of
the sentences here to show how startling were the fancies--or
remembrances--that vexed him.

"But I was coming back--I was coming back--I tell you I should have
stayed with her for ever.... See how she trembles!--Now her breath
is gone--There is no pulse--Her heart is still--My God, her heart
is still!--Hush! cover her face.... Row hard, you devils!--A hundred
dollars if you make the point in time.... Whereaway?--Whereaway?--Steady
now!--Let them have it across the bows!--Low! low!--fire low!... She is
dead--she is dead!"

These things he would say over and over again breathlessly, then he
would rest a while, and the trouble would begin again. "It was not I
that did it--no, it was not I. She did it herself!--She plunged it in,
deep, deep, deep! You made me a devil!... Hush! I WILL tell!--I know
you--yet--Mercy--Mercy--Falchion--"

Yes, it was best that few should enter his cabin. The ravings of a sick
man are not always counted ravings, no more than the words of a well man
are always reckoned sane. At last I got him into a sound sleep, and by
that time I was thoroughly tired out. I called my own steward, and asked
him to watch for a couple of hours while I rested. I threw myself down
and slept soundly for an hour beyond that time, the steward h