rprised.

After one moment of blank funk White drew out his pocket handkerchief,
held it arm high by way of a white flag, and ran out from the piazza of
the hotel.

17

"Are you hit?" cried White dropping to his knees and making himself as
compact as possible. "Benham!"

Benham, after a moment of perplexed thought answered in a strange voice,
a whisper into which a whistling note had been mixed.

"It was stupid of me to come out here. Not my quarrel. Faults on both
sides. And now I can't get up. I will sit here a moment and pull myself
together. Perhaps I'm--I must be shot. But it seemed to come--inside
me.... If I should be hurt. Am I hurt?... Will you see to that book of
mine, White? It's odd. A kind of faintness.... What?"

"I will see after your book," said White and glanced at his hand because
it felt wet, and was astonished to discover it bright red. He forgot
about himself then, and the fresh flight of bullets down the street.

The immediate effect of this blood was that he said something more about
the book, a promise, a definite promise. He could never recall his
exact words, but their intention was binding. He conveyed his absolute
acquiescence with Benham's wishes whatever they were. His life for that
moment was unreservedly at his friend's disposal....

White never knew if his promise was heard. Benham had stopped speaking
quite abruptly with that "What?"

He stared in front of him with a doubtful expression, like a man who is
going to be sick, and then, in an instant, every muscle seemed to give
way, he shuddered, his head flopped, and White held a dead man in his
arms.

THE END

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