e or two in pencil caught his eye, and he read:

"_Come on to my rooms as soon as you can. News_.

"_P.G_."

"Impossible?" muttered Stratton, tossing the cards on to the table.
"Now, Brettison, we must act at once."

"Yes. Yes; of course. But, my dear lad, what a pity you found me, and
I took you there."

"Too late to talk of that, man," said Stratton, who was full of energy
now as he stood frowning. "But have you ever had any scene like this
before? I mean, has he returned to his former self?"

"No. He has always been as you saw him this morning. His memory was a
blank as to the past. Your coming and the sound of your voice must have
revived it all."

"But he made not the faintest sign of recognition."

"No; but we cannot understand the workings of the brain. It was,
perhaps, the expiring effort of his reason, for look at him now."

"Expiring!" cried Stratton. "Yes; but how many more flashes of reason
may spring up before the light goes right out?"

Brettison gazed at the man in a perplexed way, and bent over and touched
him, but there was no sign.

"This settles it," said Stratton at last. "We must act at once."

"Yes. What shall we do?"

"You see, he may have a hundred returns of his memory, and come here
again and again threatening and making demands; and if he has reason
enough at these times to come here, what is to prevent his going up to
the admiral's and making a terrible scene there?"

Brettison nodded.

"Yes," he said hopelessly. "What, indeed! Malcolm, my dear lad. I
thought by going into hiding with him, and devoting myself to his care,
I was doing you a great service; but I'm getting old and weak, I
suppose. I will go by all you say now. I haven't an opinion of my
own."

"You did everything you could for me," said Stratton warmly; "and you
must go on helping me still."

"I will do anything if you will only trust me."

"Trust you," cried Stratton reproachfully. "There, we must act at
once."

"What do you propose doing?"

"Making sure that the man has no further opportunity of doing harm to
anyone."

"You will not hand the poor wretch over to the police?"

"No," said Stratton sternly. "I cannot; he is her husband. That blow
must not come from me. Either you or I must always be with him abroad."

"Yes, it would be best. Beyond reach of doing harm. Where shall I take
him?"

"_We_ will take him across to France first," said Stratton, emphasising
the fi