ranged some roses in a
vase.

"You lie very ingeniously, Herr Twenty-eight," she said with a smile.

Renwick regarded her calmly.

"It is not my nature, Nurse Roth. But a cracked skull doesn't improve
the brains beneath."

She came over to him quickly, and stood beside the bed.

"You have some reason for concealing your identity. I know that you
remember what happened. But I will protect you as far as I can, upon one
condition."

"And that?" he asked anxiously.

"That you will give me your word of honor that it was not you who killed
Nicholas Szarvas."

He caught her by the hand and smiled up at her with a look so genuine
that there was no question as to his sincerity.

"I give it. I did not kill Nicholas Szarvas."

"Thank you," she said simply. "I believe you."

[Illustration: "Thank you," she said simply. "I believe you."]

"I wish I could tell you," he whispered earnestly, "for I know that you
are my friend, but"--and he relinquished her hand--"but I _must_ keep
silent."

She touched him gently upon the shoulder in token of understanding, and
from that moment said no more.

The days passed slowly, but it was evident to those who were interested
in the case that Number 28 gained strength very rapidly. His wounds had
healed, and he was soon permitted to get up and sit in an armchair near
the window, where he could look out over the minarets of the city below
the hill. But to all except Nurse Roth, it seemed that the injury to his
head had done something to retard the recovery of his memory. He spoke
quite rationally to Colonel Bohratt upon matters regarding his physical
condition, but sometimes even when the Head Surgeon was talking with
him, he relapsed into a state of mental apathy which caused that worthy
man to remove his bandage and examine the wound in his head. After which
the Colonel would leave the room with a puzzled expression. And in
consequence of this curious mental condition, it was thought wise to
defer the visit of the officer of the law until the patient's mind
should show a change for the better. There was even a consultation upon
the advisability of another operation upon the head, but the patient
showed such encouraging marks of growing lucidity that the operation was
deferred.

It was a dangerous game that he was playing, and Renwick knew it, for
the time would come when he must tell who he was, or find a chance to
escape from the hospital. Escape was his hope and each day as h