I came away. Rather rum, isn't it?"

"You've certainly made the best of the yarn," said Escott with a laugh.

"By George, if you'd been there you'd have thought it funny too."

"Well, good-night, I'm off. We'll probably hear to-morrow what it's all
about."

But in the morning there was little more to be learned about the
new-comer's history and antecedents. Dr Congleton spoke of the matter to
the two young men, with the pompous cough that signified extreme
discretion.

"Brought by an old friend of mine," he said. "A curious story, Escott, but
quite intelligible. There seem to be the best reasons for answering no
questions about him; you understand?"

"Certainly, sir," said the two assistants, with the more assurance as they
had no information to give.

"I am perfectly satisfied, mind you--perfectly satisfied," added their
chief.

"By the way, sir," Sherlaw ventured to remark, "hadn't they given him
something in the way of a sleeping-draught?"

"Eh? Indeed? I hardly think so, Sherlaw, I hardly think so. Case of
reaction entirely. Good morning."

"Congleton seems satisfied," remarked Escott.

"I'll tell you what," said the junior, profoundly. "Old Congers is a very
good chap, and all that, but he's not what I should call extra sharp. _I_
should feel uncommon suspicious."

"H'm," replied Escott. "As you say, our worthy chief is not extra sharp.
But that's not our business, after all."

CHAPTER II.

"By the way," said Escott, a couple of days later, "how is your mysterious
man getting on? I haven't seen him myself yet."

Sherlaw laughed.

"He's turning out a regular sportsman, by George! For the first day he was
more or less in the same state in which he arrived. Then he began to wake
up and ask questions. 'What the devil is this place?' he said to me in the
evening. It may sound profane, but he was very polite, I assure you. I
told him, and he sort of raised his eyebrows, smiled, and thanked me like
a Prime Minister acknowledging an obligation. Since then he has steadily
developed sporting, not to say frisky, tastes. He went out this morning,
and in five minutes had his arm round one of the prettiest nurses' waist.
And she didn't seem to mind much either, by George!"

"He'll want a bit of looking after, I take it."

"Seems to me he is uncommonly capable of taking care of himself. The rest
of the establishment will want looking after, though."

From this time f