ts about me. I've been too dependent on
that chap. He won't even let me smoke, and he's been in the flat all
day to see I didn't. You'll find the cigarettes behind the Madonna of
the Chair."

It was a steel engraving of the great Raffaelle, and the frame was
tilted from the wall; at a touch a packet of cigarettes tumbled down
from behind.

"Thanks; and now a light."

I struck the match and held it, while the invalid inhaled with normal
lips; and suddenly I sighed. I was irresistibly reminded of my poor
dear old Raffles. A smoke-ring worthy of the great A. J. was floating
upward from the sick man's lips.

"And now take one yourself. I have smoked more poisonous cigarettes.
But even these are not Sullivans!"

I cannot repeat what I said. I have no idea what I did. I only
know--I only knew--that it was A. J. Raffles in the flesh!

II

"Yes, Bunny, it was the very devil of a swim; but I defy you to sink
in the Mediterranean. That sunset saved me. The sea was on fire. I
hardly swam under water at all, but went all I knew for the sun
itself; when it set I must have been a mile away; until it did I was
the invisible man. I figured on that, and only hope it wasn't set
down as a case of suicide. I shall get outed quite soon enough, Bunny,
but I'd rather be dropped by the hangman than throw my own wicket away."

"Oh, my dear old chap, to think of having you by the hand again! I feel
as though we were both aboard that German liner, and all that's
happened since a nightmare. I thought that time was the last!"

"It looked rather like it, Bunny. It was taking all the risks, and
hitting at everything. But the game came off, and some day I'll tell
you how."

"Oh, I'm in no hurry to hear. It's enough for me to see you lying
there. I don't want to know how you came there, or why, though I fear
you must be pretty bad. I must have a good look at you before I let
you speak another word!"

I raised one of the blinds, I sat upon the bed, and I had that look.
It left me all unable to conjecture his true state of health, but quite
certain in my own mind that my dear Raffles was not and never would be
the man that he had been. He had aged twenty years; he looked fifty at
the very least. His hair was white; there was no trick about that;
and his face was another white. The lines about the corners of the
eyes and mouth were both many and deep. On the other hand, the eyes
themselves were alight and aler