gman at his elbow.

'It was that d--d villain--Charles Archer--write that down--'twas a foul
blow--Sir, I'm murdered--I suppose.'

And then came a pause.

'Give me a spoonful of wine--I was coming out of town at dusk--this
evening--'

'No, Sir; you're here some time, stunned and unconscious.'

'Eh! how long?'

'No matter, Sir, now. Just say the date of the night it happened.'

Sturk uttered a deep groan.

'Am I dying?' said he.

'No, Sir, please goodness--far from it,' said Toole.

'Fracture?' asked Sturk, faintly.

'Why--yes--something of the sort--indeed--altogether a fracture; but
going on mighty well, Sir.'

'Stabbed anywhere--or gunshot wound?' demanded Sturk.

'Nothing of the kind, Sir, upon my honour.'

'You think--I have a chance?' and Sturk's cadaverous face was moist with
the dews of an awful suspense.

'Chance,' said Toole, in an encouraging tone, 'well, I suppose you have,
Sir--ha, ha! But, you know, you must not tire yourself, and we hope to
have you on your legs again, Sir, in a reasonable time.'

'I'm very bad--the sight's affected,' groaned Sturk.

'See, Sir, you tire yourself to no purpose. You're in good hands,
Sir--and all will go well--as we expect--Pell has been with you twice--'

'H'm! Pell--that's good.'

'And you're going on mighty well, Sir, especially to-night.'

'Doctor, upon your honour, have I a chance?'

'You have, Sir,--certainly--yes--upon my honour.'

'Thank God!' groaned Sturk, turning up the whites of his eyes, and
lifting up two very shaky hands.

'But you must not spoil it--and fatigue will do that for you,' remarked
Toole.

'But, Sir, Sir--I beg pardon, Doctor Toole--but this case is not quite a
common one. What Doctor Sturk is about to say may acquire an additional
legal value by his understanding precisely the degree of danger in which
he lies. Now, Doctor Sturk, you must not be over much disturbed,' said
Lowe.

'No, Sir--don't fear me--I'm not much disturbed,' said Sturk.

'Well, Doctor Toole,' continued Lowe, 'we must depart a little here from
regular medical routine--tell Doctor Sturk plainly all you think.'

'Why--a'--and Doctor Toole cleared his voice, and hesitated.

'Tell him what you and Doctor Dillon think, Sir. Why, Doctor Dillon
spoke very plainly to me.'

'I don't like his pulse, Sir. I think you had better not have agitated
him,' muttered Toole with an impatient oath.

''Tis worse to keep his mind doubtful, and on the stretch,' s