and what I say?"

Holmes groaned.

"Do what you can for me. Let bygones be bygones," he whispered. "I'll
put the words out of my head--I swear I will. Only cure me, and I'll
forget it."

"Forget what?"

"Well, about Victor Savage's death. You as good as admitted just now
that you had done it. I'll forget it."

"You can forget it or remember it, just as you like. I don't see you
in the witnessbox. Quite another shaped box, my good Holmes, I assure
you. It matters nothing to me that you should know how my nephew died.
It's not him we are talking about. It's you."

"Yes, yes."

"The fellow who came for me--I've forgotten his name--said that you
contracted it down in the East End among the sailors."

"I could only account for it so."

"You are proud of your brains, Holmes, are you not? Think yourself
smart, don't you? You came across someone who was smarter this time.
Now cast your mind back, Holmes. Can you think of no other way you
could have got this thing?"

"I can't think. My mind is gone. For heaven's sake help me!"

"Yes, I will help you. I'll help you to understand just where you are
and how you got there. I'd like you to know before you die."

"Give me something to ease my pain."

"Painful, is it? Yes, the coolies used to do some squealing towards
the end. Takes you as cramp, I fancy."

"Yes, yes; it is cramp."

"Well, you can hear what I say, anyhow. Listen now! Can you remember
any unusual incident in your life just about the time your symptoms
began?"

"No, no; nothing."

"Think again."

"I'm too ill to think."

"Well, then, I'll help you. Did anything come by post?"

"By post?"

"A box by chance?"

"I'm fainting--I'm gone!"

"Listen, Holmes!" There was a sound as if he was shaking the dying
man, and it was all that I could do to hold myself quiet in my
hiding-place. "You must hear me. You SHALL hear me. Do you remember
a box--an ivory box? It came on Wednesday. You opened it--do you
remember?"

"Yes, yes, I opened it. There was a sharp spring inside it. Some
joke--"

"It was no joke, as you will find to your cost. You fool, you would
have it and you have got it. Who asked you to cross my path? If you
had left me alone I would not have hurt you."

"I remember," Holmes gasped. "The spring! It drew blood. This
box--this on the table."

"The very one, by George! And it may as well leave the room in my
pocket. There goes your last shred of ev