rd Mr. Jackson through the ventilator of my flat,
saying good-bye to you the other night. He mentioned Red Horse
Valley----"

He drew a deep breath and was master of himself again, but his face was
still pale.

"Oh, that," he said, "that is a polite fiction. Jackson knows of this
inebriates' home in Ontario and I had to provide him with a destination.
He will go no farther than----"

"Why, curse my life, if it isn't the doctor!"

At the sound of the raucous voice both looked up. The man called Jackson
had hailed them from the centre of the hall. He was well dressed, but no
tailor could compensate for the repulsiveness of that puckered and
swollen face, those malignant eyes which peered out into the world
through two slits. He was wearing his loud-check suit, his new hat was
in his hand and the conical-shaped dome of his head glistened baldly.

"I'm cursed if this isn't amiable of you, doctor!"

He did not look at the girl, but grinned complacently upon her angry
companion.

"Here I am "--he threw out his arms with an extravagant
gesture--"leaving the country of my adoption, if not birth, without one
solitary soul to see me off or take farewell of me. I, who have
been--well, you know, what I've been, van Heerden. The world has treated
me very badly. By heaven! I'd like to come back a billionaire and ruin
all of 'em. I'd like to cut their throats and amputate 'em limb from
limb, I would like----"

"Be silent!" said van Heerden angrily. "Have you no decency? Do you not
realize I am with a lady?"

"Pardon." The man called Jackson leapt up from the chair into which he
had fallen and bowed extravagantly in the direction of the girl. "I
cannot see your face because of your hat, my dear lady," he said
gallantly, "but I am sure my friend van Heerden, whose taste----"

"Will you be quiet?" said van Heerden. "Go to your room and I will come
up to you."

"Go to my room!" scoffed the other. "By Jove! I like that! That any
whipper-snapper of a sawbones should tell me to go to my room. After
what I have been, after the position I have held in society. I have had
ambassadors' carriages at my door, my dear fellow, princes of the royal
blood, and to be told to go to my room like a naughty little boy! It's
too much!"

"Then behave yourself," said van Heerden, "and at least wait until I am
free before you approach me again."

But the man showed no inclination to move; rather did this rebuff
stimulate his power of reminisc