to say," said Lansing, "that I have a patient in 5 and 6. It's
an emergency case; I've wired for Courtney Thayer. I wish to ask the
privilege and courtesy of the club for my patient. It's unusual; it's
intrusive. Absolute and urgent necessity is my plea."

The two old gentlemen appeared startled, but they hastily assured
Lansing that his request would be honored; and Lansing went away to pace
the veranda until Coursay returned from the telegraph station.

In the grill-room Major Brent's pop eyes were fixed on the Colonel in
inflamed inquiry.

"Damme!" snapped the Colonel, "does that young man take this club for a
hospital?"

"He'll be washing bandages in the river next; he'll poison the trout
with his antiseptic stuffs!" suggested the Major, shuddering.

"The club's going to the dogs!" said the Colonel, with a hearty oath.

But he did not know how near to the dogs the club already was.

V

It is perfectly true that the club and the dogs were uncomfortably close
together. A week later the crisis came when Munn, in a violent rage,
accused Sprowl of spiriting away his ward, Eileen O'Hara. But when
Sprowl at last comprehended that the girl and the papers had really
disappeared, he turned like a maddened pig on Munn, tore the signed
checks to shreds before his eyes, and cursed him steadily as long as he
remained within hearing.

As for Munn, his game appeared to be up. He hurried to New York, and
spent a month or two attempting to find some trace of his ward, then his
money gave out. He returned to his community and wrote a cringing letter
to Sprowl, begging him to buy the O'Hara land for next to nothing, and
risk the legality of the transfer. To which Sprowl paid no attention. A
week later Munn and the Shining Band left for Munnville, Maine.

It was vaguely understood at the club that Lansing had a patient in
5 and 6.

"Probably a rich woman whom he can't afford to lose," suggested Sprowl,
with a sneer; "but I'm cursed if I can see why he should turn this club
into a drug-shop to make money in!" And the Colonel and the Major agreed
that it was indecent in the extreme.

To his face, of course, Sprowl, the Colonel, and the Major treated
Lansing with perfect respect; but the faint odor of antiseptics from
rooms 5 and 6 made them madder and madder every time they noticed it.

Meanwhile young Coursay had a free bridle; Lansing was never around to
interfere, and he drove and rode and fished and strolled with Agat