another fit of the horrors last night, and the doctor thinks badly
of him." With that introduction he opened the door, and Turlington
entered the room.

On the miserable bed lay a gray-headed old man of gigantic stature,
with nothing on him but a ragged shirt and a pair of patched, filthy
trousers. At the side of the bed, with a bottle of gin on the rickety
table between them, sat two hideous leering, painted monsters, wearing
the dress of women. The smell of opium was in the room, as well as the
smell of spirits. At Turlington's appearance, the old man rose on the
bed and welcomed him with greedy eyes and outstretched hand.

"Money, master!" he called out hoarsely. "A crown piece in advance, for
the sake of old times!"

Turlington turned to the women without answering, purse in hand.

"His clothes are at the pawnbroker's, of course. How much?"

"Thirty shillings."

"Bring them here, and be quick about it. You will find it worth your
while when you come back."

The women took the pawnbroker's tickets from the pockets of the man's
trousers and hurried out.

Turlington closed the door, and seated himself by the bedside. He laid
his hand familiarly on the giant's mighty shoulder, looked him full in
the face, and said, in a whisper,

"Thomas Wildfang!"

The man started, and drew his huge hairy hand across his eyes, as if in
doubt whether he was waking or sleeping. "It's better than ten years,
master, since you called me by my name. If I am Thomas Wildfang, what
are you?"

"Your captain, once more."

Thomas Wildfang sat up on the side of the bed, and spoke his next words
cautiously in Turlington's ear.

"Another man in the way?"

"Yes."

The giant shook his bald, bestial head dolefully. "Too late. I'm past
the job. Look here."

He held up his hand, and showed it trembling incessantly. "I'm an old
man," he said, and let his hand drop heavily again on the bed beside
him.

Turlington looked at the door, and whispered back,

"The man is as old as you are. And the money is worth having."

"How much?"

"A hundred pounds."

The eyes of Thomas Wildfang fastened greedily on Turlington's face.
"Let's hear," he said. "Softly, captain. Let's hear."

* * * * * * * * *

When the women came back with the clothes, Turlington had left the room.
Their promised reward lay waiting for them on the table, and Thomas
Wildfang was eager to dress himself and be gone. They could get but one
answer from him to every q