ham
being one of those boys who were always alone. For a little I
pretended to watch the game and then stole a furtive, sideways
glance at his lank profile. I had immediate cause to wish I had done
nothing of the sort, for he turned his unholy eyes on mine and so
disconcerted me that I swung my face back upon the cricket field and
affected complete indifference. I even hummed a little ditty to show
that if any mind was free from the designs of the private detective,
mine was. But my acting was not made easier by the certainty that
Freedham's eyes were steadily examining my burning cheek. And, if it
be possible to see a question in eyes which you are only imagining,
I saw in Freedham's: "What the blazes do you want?" After giving him
time to forget me, I turned again to look at him. But once more I
caught his weird orbs full upon mine, and muttering. "Oh, dash!"
concentrated my attention on the cricket.

A few minutes later the heavy wooden rail on which I was leaning
began to vibrate horribly. I looked in alarm at Freedham. He was
standing rigid, as though sudden death had stiffened him upright.
His left hand was grasping the railing, and through this channel an
electric trembling of his whole frame had communicated itself to the
wood. His face was unnaturally red, and his right hand had passed
over his heart which it was pressing. His eyes were fixed on the
cricket match.

My first sensation, I confess, was one of pride at being the boy to
discover Freedham in what appeared to be a fit. I went quickly to
him and said: "I say, Freedham. Freedham, what's the matter?"

"N-nothing," he replied, still stiff and trembling. "But it's
all--right. I shall be quite--fit again in a minute. Don't look at
me."

"But shall I get you water or something?"

"No. It's all right. I've had these attacks before. In class
sometimes and--I've conquered them, and--no one's known anything
about them. So don't tell anyone about this. Promise."

It cost me something to throw away the prospect of telling this
thrilling story of which I had exclusive information, but the man in
pain is master of us all, so I readily promised.

"All right, Freedham. That's all right."

Though some years his junior, I said it much as a mother would
soothe a frightened child to sleep.

"Thanks awfully," said Freedham gratefully.

"Oh, by the by, there's old Dr. Chapman over there. Should I fetch
him?"

"No, damn you!" cried my patient with extraordina