eat afterward
for a minute or two at the fever rate.

"How did you come here?" asked the stranger, quickly, excitably,
passionately almost.

Arthur related briefly what had happened from the time of his first
taking the bed at the inn.

"I am indebted to Mr. Holliday's son, then, for the help that has saved
my life," said the medical student, speaking to himself, with a singular
sarcasm in his voice. "Come here!"

He held out, as he spoke, his long, white, bony right hand.

"With all my heart," said Arthur, taking his hand cordially. "I may
confess it now," he continued, laughing, "upon my honor, you almost
frightened me out of my wits."

The stranger did not seem to listen. His wild black eyes were fixed with
a look of eager interest on Arthur's face, and his long bony fingers
kept tight hold of Arthur's hand. Young Holliday, on his side, returned
the gaze, amazed and puzzled by the medical student's odd language and
manners. The two faces were close together; I looked at them, and, to my
amazement, I was suddenly impressed by the sense of a likeness between
them--not in features or complexion, but solely in expression. It must
have been a strong likeness, or I should certainly not have found it
out, for I am naturally slow at detecting resemblances between faces.

"You have saved my life," said the strange man, still looking hard in
Arthur's face, still holding tightly by his hand. "If you had been my
own brother, you could not have done more for me than that."

He laid a singularly strong emphasis on those three words "my own
brother," and a change passed over his face as he pronounced them--a
change that no language of mine is competent to describe.

"I hope I have not done being of service to you yet," said Arthur. "I'll
speak to my father as soon as I get home."

"You seem to be fond and proud of your father," said the medical
student. "I suppose, in return, he is fond and proud of you?"

"Of course he is," answered Arthur, laughing. "Is there anything
wonderful in that? Isn't _your_ father fond--"

The stranger suddenly dropped young Holliday's hand and turned his face
away.

"I beg your pardon," said Arthur. "I hope I have not unintentionally
pained you. I hope you have not lost your father?"

"I can't well lose what I have never had," retorted the medical student,
with a harsh mocking laugh.

"What you have never had!"

The strange man suddenly caught Arthur's hand again, suddenly looked
on