to the Waldorf.

It was towards its end that Togo, the Japanese steward, came in with a
silver-topped bottle in a pail of ice. He filled the three glasses
with the flourish of a man who has put a period to the end of a
successful composition. Danbury arose. "Gentlemen," he said, raising
his glass, "I have a toast to propose: to Her health and Her throne."

The two men rose, Wilson mystified, and silently drained their
glasses. Then there was the tinkle of shivered glass as Danbury, after
the manner of the English in drinking to their Queen, hurled the
fragile crystal to the floor. Shortly after this Stubbs left the two
men to go below and look after his charges. Danbury brought out a
bottle of Scotch and a siphon of soda and, lighting his brierwood
pipe, settled back comfortably on the bunk with his head bolstered up
with pillows.

"Now," he said, "I'd like to know just as much of your story as you
want to tell--just as much as you feel like telling, and not
another word. Maybe you're equally curious about me; if so, I'll tell
you something of that afterwards. There's pipes, cigars, and
cigarettes--take your choice."

Wilson felt that he was under certain obligations to tell something of
himself, but in addition to this he really felt a desire to confide in
someone. It would be a relief. The fact remained, however, that as
yet he really knew nothing of Danbury and so must move cautiously. He
told him of the incident in his life which led to his leaving school,
of his failure to find work in Boston, of his adventure in helping the
girl to escape, which led to the house. Here he confined himself to
the arrival of the owner, of his wound, and of the attack made upon
him in the house. He told of his search through the dark house, of the
closed cellar door, and of the blow in the head.

"Someone bundled me into a carriage, and I came to on the way to the
hospital. It was the next day, after I awoke in my cot and persuaded
them to let me out, that I had the good luck to run into you. My
clothes had been left in the house and all I had was the lounging robe
which I had put on early in the evening."

"But you had your nerve to dare venture out in that rig!"

"I had to get back to the house. The girl didn't know where I had
gone, and, for all I knew, was at the mercy of the same madman who
struck me."

"That's right--you had to do it. But honestly, I would rather have met
twenty more maniacs in the dark than go out upo