d, finding
him not to be dissuaded, broke off his conversation in the midst, and
insisted on accompanying him, leaving Mr. and Mrs. Rivers rather amazed
at colonial breeding.

The first time Mr. Seaford could accomplish being alone with Dr. May,
he mysteriously shut the door, and began, 'I am afraid Mrs. Rivers
thought me very rude; but though no doubt he is quite harmless, I could
not let the child or the ladies be alone with him.'

'With whom?'

'With your patient.'

'What patient of mine have you been seeing to-day?' asked Dr. May, much
puzzled.

'Oh, then you consider him as convalescent, and certainly he does seem
rational on every other point; but is this one altogether an
hallucination?'

'I have not made out either the hallucination or the convalescent. I
beg your pardon,' said the courteous Doctor; 'but I cannot understand
whom you have seen.'

'Then is not that young Ward a patient of yours? He gave me to
understand to-day that he has been under confinement for three years--'

'My poor Leonard!' exclaimed the Doctor; 'I wish his hair would grow!
This is the second time! And did you really never hear of the Blewer
murder, and of Leonard Ward?'

Mr. Seaford had some compound edifice of various murders in his mind,
and required full enlightenment. Having heard the whole, he was ardent
to repair his mistake, both for Leonard's own sake, and that of his
cause. The young man was indeed looking ill and haggard; but there was
something in the steady eyes, hollow though they still were, and in the
determined cast of features, that strangely impressed the missionary
with a sense of his being moulded for the work; and on the first
opportunity a simple straightforward explanation of the error was laid
before Leonard, with an entreaty that if he had no duties to bind him
at home, he would consider the need of labourers in the great harvest
of the Southern Seas.

Leonard made no answer save 'Thank you' and that he would think. The
grave set features did not light up as they had done unconsciously when
listening without personal thought; he only looked considering, and
accepted Mr. Seaford's address in Ireland, promising to write after
hearing from his brother.

Next morning, Dr. May gave notice that an old patient was coming to see
him, and must be asked to luncheon. Leonard soon after told Ethel that
he should not be at home till the evening, and she thought he was going
to Cocksmoor, by way of avoid