h? Yes, I should say you will be fully competent in that respect. You
have a way with you, eh, Max? What was it this Indian doctor said?"

"He believed a cure possible, but only under the most favourable
conditions. The boy was in no state then to undergo an operation, and he
funked the job." Max's tone was contemptuous.

"Ah, well! It's as well he didn't attempt it in that case," said Sir
Kersley. "He will stand a better chance with us. And what about Captain
Ratcliffe and Olga? Will they go straight home?"

"No," said, Max. He paused a moment, then said rather shortly, "I had a
line from Dr. Jim. He says she won't leave Noel. He and Mrs. Ratcliffe
are coming up to meet them, but he expects to go back alone."

"Captain and Mrs. Ratcliffe will stay in town with Olga, then?" asked
Sir Kersley.

"I believe so."

Sir Kersley's grey eyes regarded him thoughtfully. "And she is still in
the dark with regard to Miss Campion's death?" he asked, after a moment.

Max's eyes came swiftly downwards, meeting his look with something of
the effect of a challenge. "Yes, absolutely," he said.

"It's an extraordinary case," observed Sir Kersley.

Max said nothing whatever. He took his pipe from his pocket, and began
to fill it with a face of sardonic composure.

"I wonder if she ever asks herself how it came about," said Sir Kersley.

"Why should she?" said Max gruffly.

"My dear fellow, she must have wondered how it happened--why all details
were kept from her--and so on."

"Why should she?" said Max again aggressively. "The subject is a painful
one. She is willing enough to avoid it. Of course," he paused
momentarily, "Noel doesn't know about that affair either. No one knows
besides ourselves, but Dr. Jim and Nick."

"In my opinion Noel ought to know," said Sir Kersley, with quiet
decision. "It would be a terrible thing for Olga if some day--after they
were married--she remembered, and he were in ignorance of it."

Again Max's hand pressed his friend's shoulder, but this time the
pressure was one of warning. "Kersley," he said, "I've been into all
that. I've weighed every possible contingency that might arise. And I
have decided against telling Noel. As you say, it would be a terrible
thing if she ever remembered; but if Noel is left in ignorance, the
chances are she never will remember. To tell him would be to put a
shadow between them which he would never forget and she would in time
come to be aware of. It would wre