rize?"

"Congratulate him," said Thorpe, but there was not much ring of
earnestness in his tone.

Blair looked at him moodily, and Knight rose to go.

"You chaps are out of sorts, and I'll not see you again till the prize
business is settled. Then I hope you'll be your own sweet sunny selves
once more. Good night."

He went off, and the other two began a desultory conversation. It
lagged, however, and soon they separated for the night.

* * * * *

Nobody in the Leonardo Studio apartments was an early riser. For that
reason it was nearly eleven o'clock when Thorpe, his face very white,
telephoned downstairs and asked the doorman to come up at once.

When Hastings appeared he found Thorpe sitting on the edge of a chair
in the studio in a state of agitation.

"Blair----" Thorpe said, speaking with difficulty. "Mr. Blair,--you
know,--he's--he's very ill----"

"Ill, sir? Where is he?"

"In bed--in his room--go in, Hastings."

The man went in, and it needed only a glance to tell him that Blair's
illness, whatever it had been, was fatal.

"He's dead," Hastings said, in an awe-stricken voice. "He's surely
dead."

"Well, do something," Thorpe said; "what's the thing to do? Get a
doctor?"

"A doctor couldn't help him, but yes, we ought to send for one. Who,
sir?"

"I don't know. I've never had a doctor. This unnerves me, Hastings. I
wish you'd do what's necessary."

"Ain't you a friend of his, sir? Can't you show a little heart?"

Hastings had never liked Thorpe, but had always been an admirer of
Gilbert Blair. There was no special reason for this, unless that Blair
was of a kindlier nature, and rarely found fault with Hastings, while
Thorpe was sometimes irascible and even unreasonable.

Moreover, if Thorpe was nervously upset, Hastings was, too, and neither
man knew exactly what to do.

"Well, you must get a doctor," Thorpe went on, a little peevishly.
"You're responsible in cases of emergency----"

"Me responsible, sir? What do you mean, Mr. Thorpe?"

"Nothing to make you look like that. But you're in a position of
responsibility, and it's up to you to do something. Now, do it."

"Yes, sir." The tone of authority brought Hastings to his senses. He was
responsible in a case like this, and he went to the telephone. He called
the superintendent, who did not live in the building, and asked him to
come at once, and to bring a doctor. Then, his work done, he left the
room,