eposterous for me to ask forgiveness. To thank you--"

"Please say nothing at all--but go! Your enemies must not find you here
again--you must leave the valley!"

"I have a work to do! But it must not touch your life. Your happiness is
too much, too sweet to me."

"You must leave the bungalow--I found out to-day where you are staying.
There is a new danger there--the mountain people think you are a revenue
officer. I told one of them--"

"Yes?"

"--that you are not! That is enough. Now hurry away. You must find your
horse and go."

He bent and kissed her hand.

"You trust me; that is the dearest thing in the world." His voice
faltered and broke in a sob, for he was worn and weak, and the mystery of
the night and the dark silent garden wove a spell upon him and his heart
leaped at the touch of his lips upon her fingers. Their figures were only
blurs in the dark, and their low tones died instantly, muffled by the
night. She opened the gate as he began to promise not to appear before
her again in any way to bring her trouble; but her low whisper arrested
him.

"Do not let them hurt you again--" she said; and he felt her hand seek
his, felt its cool furtive pressure for a moment; and then she was gone.
He heard the house door close a moment later, and gazing across the
garden, saw the lights on the veranda flash out.

Then with a smile on his face he strode away to find Oscar and the
horses.

CHAPTER XVIII

AN EXCHANGE OF MESSAGES

When youth was lord of my unchallenged fate,
And time seemed but the vassal of my will,
I entertained certain guests of state--
The great of older days, who, faithful still,
Have kept with me the pact my youth had made.

--S. Weir Mitchell.

"Who am I?" asked John Armitage soberly.

He tossed the stick of a match into the fireplace, where a pine-knot
smoldered, drew his pipe into a glow and watched Oscar screw the top on a
box of ointment which he had applied to Armitage's arm. The little
soldier turned and stood sharply at attention.

"Yon are Mr. John Armitage, sir. A man's name is what he says it is. It
is the rule of the country."

"Thank you, Oscar. Your words reassure me. There have been times lately
when I have been in doubt myself. You are a pretty good doctor."

"First aid to the injured; I learned the trick from a hospital steward.
If you are not poisoned, and do not die, you will recover--yes?"

"Thank you, Sergeant. You are a consoling spirit; bu