t of it. You are in for a week, but we'll make it as comfortable
for you as we can. Like to send home a telegram?"

"Will you have the goodness to understand me, sir!" said Chester,
firmly.

"I do, my dear doctor, but you will not understand me. A week with your
patient will not hurt you, and a fee of a couple of hundred guineas
shall be paid--now, if you like. There, I will be plain with you, as a
man of the world. It was a family quarrel, and two hot-headed fools
drew their revolvers--Yankee fashion. Here, Paddy, see that we have
some coffee and liqueurs. Cigar or cigarette, doctor? Sit down, and
let's chat it over like sensible men."

"I do not wish to come to a struggle and blows again, sir," said
Chester, firmly. "Please understand that you are wasting words. I mean
to leave this house at once."

"We often mean to do things that are impossible, doctor. You cannot.
So act sensibly. Take some refreshment, and attend to your patient.
Will you have the goodness to look round this room?"

Chester made no reply.

"You will not smoke? I will. My nerves want soothing."

The speaker lit a large cigar, and left the gold-mounted case open upon
the table.

"Better take one," he said as he exhaled the fragrant fumes; "they are
rather fine. Now, doctor; that door communicates with the back the
hall, and it is locked; that other one with a lobby from which the upper
and lower parts of the house are reached; and it, too, is locked. You
naturally intend to communicate with the outside. Well, you cannot.
This dining-room has no windows, and is lit up night and day. You are a
prisoner, my dear sir, and you will not communicate with the servants,
for you will see none. These gentlemen will help me as your gaolers; an
eminently respectable old housekeeper--lady-like I may say, eh, Paddy?"

The young man addressed nodded and grinned.

"A lady-like body will see that all your animal wants are provided for;
a chair-bed will be brought in; and to make your stay more pleasant two
or three of us will take you to the billiard-room overhead and have a
game with you--by the way, that place has only skylights. Where we
stand used to be a sooty cat-walk of a garden till we built these rooms
over. A great improvement to the house."

"Who are you? What house is this?" said Chester, sharply.

"Your host, sir; and the house is ours--at your service. Better have a
cigar. `Needs must when the devil drives.' That i