e in your
disappearing mysteriously."

"You're a capable man," Clarke told him with an air of resignation.
"Anyway, I find this case appeals to my professional interest. For one
thing, it's curious that the malaria should attack him in a severe form
after a lengthy absence from the tropical jungles where he caught it.
By the way, how long is it since he left India?"

Harding shrewdly returned an evasive answer. He did not think it
desirable that Clarke should learn too much about his comrade's
connexion with India.

"I can't fix the date, but it's some time. However, I understand he
was afterwards in an unhealthy part of Africa, which may account for
the thing. I don't think he's been in this country more than a year or
two."

"Did he ever speak of having malaria here? It is apt to return within
a rather elastic period."

"Not so far as I can recollect," said Harding.

Seeing that he could extract no useful information from him, Clarke
abandoned the attempt and discussed the case from a medical point of
view. Then he said, "As we're not out of the wood yet, and I don't
expect I'll be needed for a while, I'd better get some sleep. You must
waken me if there's any sign of a change."

Drawing his blanket round him, he lay down on a bed of branches and
reeds and when his deep, regular breathing indicated that he was asleep
Harding looked at Benson.

"I guess he'll do all that's possible, for his own sake. It strikes me
he's a pretty good doctor."

"I understand he once promised to become a famous one," Benson replied.
"Though I left you to deal with the matter, I kept my eye on him, and
my idea is that while he wouldn't have scrupled much about letting
Blake die if it had suited his purpose, as soon as you showed him the
danger of that course his professional feelings came uppermost. In
fact, I believe Blake couldn't have got better treatment in Montreal or
London. Now the fellow has taken his case up, he'll make a cure. But
I'll keep the first watch; you need a rest."

In a few minutes Harding was fast asleep and when he relieved Benson
late at night he found Clarke at his post. Shortly afterwards Blake
opened his eyes and asked a few intelligent questions in a weak voice
before he went to sleep again. Next morning he was obviously
improving, but although a strong man often recovers rapidly from an
attack of malarial fever, Clarke stayed several days and gave Harding a
number of careful instructi