tance. And you believe that you
can, in that case, dominate him completely, force him out of
consciousness, keep him out of it, and yourself enjoy, from that
time on, uninterrupted, active life, in his body."

"That is what I think I shall be justified in doing."

"Then I must tell you that I cannot help you. My Hippocratic oath
binds me to the healing, the saving of life. He is my patient. He
came to me asking my aid. I must give it to him, to the best of my
ability."

Hugh Gordon straightened up and threw back his head. It seemed to his
companion almost as if his body grew suddenly larger in the tensing of
his purpose and his will.

"And I must tell you, Dr. Annister," he exclaimed, his eyes flashing
and his face determined, "that I shall succeed in spite of you both.
You cannot make a good man out of him; and it is outrageous, it is
impossible, that evil should thus triumph over good. I will not be
submerged again. I have grown stronger as he has grown weaker and more
wicked. He cannot hold out against me any longer. I shall give him
one more chance to put his affairs in order and make it known that he
will never return.

"It has been a hard-fought battle between us for the possession of
this body. But I have won it. I am stronger than he is now and, if I
wished, I could go out from this office and never let him see the
light of day again. But it is right for him to have a few days more.

"And I want him to tell you one thing that he has done. He shall tell
you with his own lips. It is your right to know, but he will not tell
you the truth unless I make him. He shall come to see you tomorrow and
you can try hypnotizing him if you want to. But before you begin give
him an opportunity to make his confession. I shall make him speak.
Goodnight, Dr. Annister."

The physician sat long in his big arm-chair, his forehead upon his
locked fingers. When he arose his face was haggard and, unconscious of
the movement, he pressed one hand against his breast.

"No," he said aloud, "I was right. There is a possibility that I can
yet reincarnate these two warring principles of selfishness and
altruism into one big-hearted, splendidly endowed human being. I must
take the chances and do my best. Oh, man, man! How little you know
what you are doing when you trifle with either your soul or your body!
And what miracles you expect of us, to save you from the consequences
you have richly earned--us who know so little more than you