system may be so great that even with the best of care he will not
recover. By doing what you propose you seriously jeopardize what chance
he has of life. When do you intend to move him?"

"Sir, at once!"

"What--now--in the middle of the night?"

"Exactly, sir."

"Preposterous!" the Doctor cried excitedly. "It shall not be done!"

"Indeed. And who, sir, will prevent it?"

"If necessary, I will."

The man put down the lamp upon the boards that served as a table, put
his hands to his sides, and laughed. Not loudly or heartily, but with
intense mocking enjoyment, as at something too grotesquely absurd for
speech. Then suddenly, exerting a surprising amount of strength for so
old a man, he put his two hands upon the shoulders of the
slightly-built Doctor, and, holding him so, stood looking down at him
tauntingly, laughing still.

"You will--you will prevent! Monsieur the Doctor, you are a hero. You
are alone, you don't know where, with you don't know whom; it is one
o'clock in the morning, no one in your household knows where to find
you, and yet you will prevent! You stand in a house where your body
might remain undiscovered for years; but still you defy, you threaten!
By Heaven, my noble physician, you are brave!"

He loosened his hold and leaned against the improvised table, laughing
still in the same suppressed manner, and glancing at the young man, who
replied to this dreadful mirth with a sarcastic smile.

George Brudenell, almost staggering as the strong hands released him,
was stupefied for the moment. He was no coward, but he suddenly
realized the utter helplessness of his position. Where was he? He did
not know. Who were these men, who met alone in this deserted house at
midnight? He did not know. He was a weaker man than either; and how
many more of them might there not be hidden within hearing distance
now? If they chose to do him violence--to murder him, in short--he
would be totally incapable of offering any adequate resistance. He was
trapped, and he felt it; for the moment the knowledge appalled him, but
he strove to regain both his wits an courage.

"You have the advantage, sir," he said, addressing the elder man; "and
you use your superiority of numbers well. As for this man, you take the
responsibility if you move him. It is none of mine! I have done what I
can, and all I can. Show me to the door."

"A moment, sir, if you please!" The younger man looked at the elder
with a glance of remo