must you, and when our minds
are settled a bit we can talk again.'

When we returned to Edgecumbe's room, my friend was sleeping almost
naturally, while the relief of every member of the household, who had all
been informed of Edgecumbe's remarkable recovery, can be better imagined
than expressed.

'Have the doctors told you what is the matter with him?' asked Sir Thomas
eagerly.

'No,' I replied; 'perhaps they are not sure themselves.'

'But they must know, man! I gather that they performed a certain
operation, and they wouldn't do that without some definite object.'

'The ways of doctors are very mysterious,' I laughed; 'anyhow, we are
thankful that the danger is over. Merril tells me that Edgecumbe is
sleeping quite naturally, while McClure is quite sure that in a few hours
he will awake almost well.'

'But that seems impossible, man! A few hours ago he despaired of his
life, and now----'

'The great thing is he is better,' I interrupted. I did not want the old
baronet to have the least inkling of my suspicion. After all, I could
prove nothing, and indeed, as McClure had said, it might be a crime to
accuse any man of having anything to do with Edgecumbe's illness.

During the time I had been in the Army, I had heard of cases of men
losing their memory, and of a sudden shock bringing their past back to
them. I wondered if this would be so in Edgecumbe's case. Might not the
crisis through which he had passed, the crisis which had brought him
close to the gates of death, tear aside the veil which hid his past from
him? Might not the next few hours reveal the mystery of his life, and
make all things plain?

CHAPTER XXII

EDGECUMBE'S RESOLVE

Some hours later I saw Colonel McClure again. He had become so
interested in Edgecumbe's case, that he refused to go back to Plymouth
until he was certain that all was well; and although Dr. Merril had left
early that morning, in order to attend to his patients, he had arranged
to meet him at Bolivick later.

'It's all right, Luscombe. Your friend's talking quite naturally with
Merril. He is rather weak, but otherwise he's splendid.'

'May I see him?' I asked eagerly.

'Oh, yes, certainly.'

When I entered the bedroom, I found Edgecumbe sitting up in bed, and
although he looked rather tired, he spoke naturally.

'I can't understand why I'm here,' he said, with a laugh, 'but I suppose
I must obey orders. I was tremendously surprised about half a