then the way seems to come."

"Yes," said the doctor, while Frank listened eagerly to what was said,
"but--"

"Yes, but--" said the professor, taking him up sharply. "We've got our
news, thank Heaven! and that's enough for to-night."

"And you can't put on your old red fez," said Frank, "because--"

"Exactly," said the professor; "because it is at my rooms in Fountain
Court."

CHAPTER THREE.

PERFECTLY SANE.

"Good morning, Frank, my lad," said Doctor Morris, shaking hands upon
the young man entering his study. "Ready for business?"

"Ready, yes," was the reply, made with feverish haste. "Am I late?"

"Late? No," said the doctor, glancing at the clock on the study
mantelpiece. "Half an hour before the time."

"Oh, nonsense; that thing's wrong. Ever so much slow."

"Don't you insult my clock, my boy," said the doctor. "It keeps as good
time as any one in London. It's you who are too fast. Keep cool, my
lad, keep cool."

"Who can keep cool at a time like this?" said Frank impatiently.

"You, if you try. Surgeons have to. Important work requires cool
heads."

"I'll try," said Frank briefly.

"Fred Landon was right last night in putting matters off till this
morning, so that we could all have a good night's rest."

Frank looked quickly up at his brother's old school-fellow with
something like envy, as he sat there softly stroking the great, dark
brown beard, which flowed pretty well all over the breast of the heavy
blue dressing-gown, tied with thick silk cords about his waist, and
thought what a fine-looking specimen of humanity he was; while the
doctor at the same time scanned the rather thin, anxious face before him
and mused to himself--

"Poor Frank! the boy looks pulled down and careworn, and this has
completely upset him. I must take him in hand a bit. He has been
working too hard, too, over his chemistry."

Just then their eyes met, and Frank coloured a little, as if
self-conscious.

"I was afraid Landon would be here first," he said hurriedly, "and that
you would both be waiting for me."

"You ought to have known him better," said the doctor, laughing. "Fred
Landon never is first at any meeting. I always allow him an hour's
latitude."

"Oh, surely he will not be late this morning?" cried Frank anxiously.

"I hope not; but he may be. Of course he meant to be punctual, and I
have no doubt he got up and breakfasted extra early; but anything takes
off his attention--a b