e. "They were tired of waiting. I
found _this_ gentleman fast asleep; and I am afraid he is angry with me
for taking the liberty of waking him."

"Sleep of the common sort is evidently not allowed in this house." With
that remark the gentleman entered the room, and stood revealed as the
original owner of the card numbered Fourteen.

Viewed by the clear lamplight, he was a tall, finely-made man, in
the prime of life, with a florid complexion, golden-brown hair, and
sparkling blue eyes. Noticing Madame Lagarde, he instantly checked the
flow of his satire, with the instinctive good-breeding of a gentleman.
"I beg your pardon," he said; "I have a great many faults, and a habit
of making bad jokes is one of them. Is the servant right, madam, in
telling me that I have the honor of presenting myself here at your
request?"

Madame Lagarde briefly explained what had passed.

The florid gentleman (still privately believing it to be all "humbug")
was delighted to make himself of any use. "I congratulate you, sir,"
he said, with his easy humor, as he passed the visitor who had become
possessed of his card. "Number Fourteen seems to be a luckier number in
your keeping than it was in mine."

As he spoke, he took Doctor Lagarde's disengaged hand. The instant
they touched each other the sleeper started. His voice rose; his face
flushed. "You are the man!" he exclaimed. "I see you plainly now!"

"What am I doing?"

"You are standing opposite to the gentleman here who is holding my other
hand; and (as I have said already) you have met to fight a duel."

The unbeliever cast a shrewd look at his companion in the consultation.

"Considering that you and I are total strangers, sir," he said, "don't
you think the Doctor had better introduce us, before he goes any
further? We have got to fighting a duel already, and we may as well know
who we are, before the pistols go off." He turned to Doctor Lagarde.
"Dramatic situations don't amuse me out of the theater," he resumed.
"Let me put you to a very commonplace test. I want to be introduced to
this gentleman. Has he told you his name?"

"No."

"Of course, you know it, without being told?"

"Certainly. I have only to look into your own knowledge of yourselves,
while I am in this trance, and while you have got my hands, to know both
your names as well as you do."

"Introduce us, then!" retorted the jesting gentleman. "And take my name
first."

"Mr. Percy Linwood," replied the Doct