If I like to snap my fingers in your face you
are powerless. But I do nothing of the kind--such is not my nature. Give
me a glass of brandy and I shall be myself again."

Just for a moment Sartoris seemed to be fighting down the rage that
consumed him. It was evidently a big struggle, but the mastery came.

"Very well," he said. "I'll do as you want. Wait a moment."

The invalid carriage rolled rapidly across the room and down a long
passage to the back of the house. When Sartoris came back again he had a
glass in his hand and a cup of black coffee balanced on the chair before
him. Bentwood snatched eagerly at the glass and drained it at a gulp.
Then he pressed his hand to his heart and staggered back.

"My God, you have poisoned me," he gasped. "The pain! The pain! I can't
breathe."

"You'll be all right in a moment," Sartoris said. "I don't profess to
your wonderful medical knowledge, but some things I know, and one of
them is how to treat a man in your condition. What you regard as poison
is a strong dose of sal-volatile--as strong a dose as I dare venture to
give even to a powerful man like you. Now drink this coffee."

There was a ring of command in the tone which was not to be disobeyed.
As soon as Bentwood had regained his power of speech, he drank his
coffee. After the harsh, astringent drug, the flavour was soothing and
gratifying. In a marvellously short space of time the big man grew quiet
and a little ashamed of himself. His face was less red, he became more
quiet and subdued in his manner.

"I am truly sorry, Sartoris," he said. "I'm afraid I was very drunk and
rude just now. But I was not entirely to blame. Would any man be
entirely to blame who had led a life like mine! The things that I have
seen, the things that I should like to find out! Then the madness comes
on me and I must drink or destroy myself. I fought for the possession of
myself to-day until I was a mere nervous rag of a man, if I had fought
much longer I should have blown my brains out. And what would you have
done then?"

The man's tone was eager, almost passionate. Sartoris bent his head down
so that the expression of his face could not be seen by anyone.

"Say no more about it," he said. "You are quite sober now, which is the
important part of the case. I will discuss the other matter with you on
a future occasion."

The speaker's tones were smooth enough, but his eyes gleamed like coals
of fire. He was bending again and fumbl