a little
bit shaky--now how long is it since you succeeded to the title? It's
just a test memory question."

Jones did not know. He saw that he was lost. He had also gained an
appreciation of Hoover. Beside the fat Simms and the cadaverous
Cavendish, Hoover seemed a man of keen common sense.

Jones recognized that the new position into which he had strayed was a
blind alley. If he were detained until his memory could answer questions
of which his mind knew nothing, he would be detained forever. He came to
the grand determination to try back.

"Look here," said he, "let's be straight with one another. I can't
answer your questions. Now if you are a man of sense, as I take you to
be, and not a man like those others, who think everyone but themselves
is mad, you will recognize _why_ I can't answer your questions. I'm not
Rochester. I thought I'd get out of here by pretending that I'd played a
practical joke on those guys; it was a false move, I acknowledge it, but
when I fixed on the idea, I didn't know the man I had to deal with. If
you will listen to my story, I will tell you in a few words how all this
business came about."

"Go on," said Hoover.

Jones told, and Hoover listened and when the tale was over, at the end
of a quarter of an hour or so, Jones scarcely believed it himself. It
sounded crazy. Much more crazy than when he had told it to the Duke of
Melford and the reason of this difference was Hoover. There was
something in Hoover's eye, something in his make up and personality,
something veiled and critical, that destroyed confidence.

"I have asked them to make enquiries," finished Jones, "if they will
only do that everything will be cleared up."

"And you may rest content we will," said Hoover.

"Now for another thing," said Jones. "Till I leave this place, which
will be soon, I hope, may I ask you to tell that confounded attendant
not to be always watching me. I don't know whether you think me mad or
sane, think me mad if you like, but take it from me, I'm not going to do
anything foolish, but if anything would drive me crazy, it would be
feeling that I am always watched like a child."

Hoover paused a moment. He had a large experience of mental cases. Then
he said:

"You will be perfectly free here. You can come downstairs and do as you
like. We have some very nice men staying here and you are free to amuse
yourself. I'll just ask you this, not to go outside the grounds till
your health is perfe