e did those friends of his come from?" I asked swiftly.

"The Perrys? From Birmingham."

"Was there anything wrong with them?"

"What do you mean?"

Before I could reply the old man opened his eyes. The light fell clearly
on his face. Alice uttered a cry of horror. I experienced an
extraordinary sensation of fear. Out of the marble pallor of Mr. Annot's
face, two eyes, stained a sparrow-egg blue, stared keenly at us.

CHAPTER XI

THE RESURRECTION

For some moments none of us spoke. Alice recovered herself first.

"What is the matter with him?" she gasped.

I was incapable of finding a suitable reply, and stood, tongue-tied,
staring foolishly at the old man. He seemed a little surprised at our
behaviour.

"Dr. Harden," he said, "I am glad to see you. My daughter did not tell
me you were coming."

His voice startled me. It was strong and clear. On my previous visit to
him he had spoken in quavering tones.

"Oh, father, how do you feel?" exclaimed Alice, kneeling beside the bed.

"My dear, I feel extremely well. I have not felt so well for many
years." He stretched out his hand and patted his daughter's head. "Yes,
my sleep has done me good. I should like to get up for tea."

"But your eyes----" stammered Alice "Can you see, father?"

"See, my dear? What does she mean, Dr. Harden?"

"There is some discolouration of the conjunctivae," I said hastily. "It
is nothing to worry about."

At that moment Alice caught sight of his finger nails.

"Look!" she cried, "they're blue."

The old man raised his hands and looked at them in astonishment.

"How extraordinary," he murmured. "What do you make of that, doctor?"

"It is nothing," I assured him. "It is only pigmentation
caused--er--caused by some harmless germ."

"I know what it is," cried Alice suddenly. "It's the Blue Disease.
Father, you remember the Perrys were telling us about it yesterday at
lunch. They said it was all over Birmingham, and that they had come
south partly to escape it. They must have brought the infection with
them."

"Yes," I said, "that is certainly the explanation. And now, Mr. Annot,
let me assure you that this disease is harmless. It has no ill effects."

Mr. Annot sat up in bed with an exhibition of vigour that was remarkable
in a man of his age.

"I can certainly witness to the fact that it causes no ill effects, Dr.
Harden," he exclaimed. "This morning I felt extremely weak and was
prepared for the end. But now