He laughed as he met the boy's shocked
eyes, but the laugh caught in his throat and turned to a strangled oath.
Then he began to cough.

"Oh--my God!" said Tommy.

He turned then, horror urging him, and tore back to Ralston, as one
pursued by devils. He burst in upon him headlong.

"For heaven's sake, come! That fellow--it's--it's----"

"Who?" said Ralston sharply.

"I don't know!" panted back Tommy. "I'm mad, I think. But come--for
goodness' sake--before he bleeds to death!"

Ralston came with a velocity which exceeded even Tommy's wild rush.
Tommy marvelled at it later. He had not thought the phlegmatic and
slow-moving Ralston had it in him. He himself was left well behind, and
when he re-entered the dining-room Ralston was already bending over the
huddled figure that sprawled across the table.

"Come and lend a hand!" he ordered. "We must get him on the floor. Poor
devil! He's got it pretty straight."

He had not seen the stricken man's face. He was too concerned with the
wound to worry about any minor details for the moment.

Tommy helped him to the best of his ability, but he was trembling so
much that in a second Ralston swooped scathingly upon his weakness.

"Steady man! Pull yourself together! What on earth's the matter? Never
seen a little blood before? If you faint, I'll--I'll kick you! There!"

Tommy pulled himself together forthwith. He had never before submitted
to being bullied by Ralston; but he submitted then, for speech was
beyond him. They lowered the big frame between them, and at Ralston's
command he supported it while the doctor made a swift examination of the
injury.

Then, while this was in progress, the wounded man recovered his senses
and forced a few husky words. "Hullo,--Ralston! Have they done me in?"

Ralston's eyes went to his face for the first time, shot a momentary
glance at Tommy, and returned to the matter in hand.

"Don't talk!" he said.

A few seconds later he got to his feet. "Keep him just as he is! I must
go and fetch something. Don't let him speak!"

He was gone with the words, and Tommy, still feeling bewildered and
rather sick, knelt in silence and waited for his return.

But almost immediately the husky voice spoke again. "Tommy--that you?"

Tommy felt himself begin to tremble again and put forth all his strength
to keep himself in hand. "Don't talk!" he said gruffly.

"I've--got to talk." The words came, forced by angry obstinacy. "It's
no--damnation--g