ght to consider himself aggrieved and his dignity insulted,
produced no effect upon him.

"It was my intention to have halted a few days at Massa, and I could
have obtained another courier in the interval," was the cool commentary
he bestowed on the incident.

"But your Lordship would surely desire investigation. A man is missing;
a great crime may have been committed--"

"Excuse my interrupting; but as I am not, nor can be supposed to be, the
criminal,--nor do I feel myself the victim,--while I have not a claim to
the character of witness, you would only harass me with interrogatories
I could not answer, and excite me to take interest, or at least bestow
attention, on what cannot concern me."

"Yet there are circumstances in this case which give it the character of
a preconcerted plan," said the Prefect, thoughtfully.

"Perhaps so," said the other, in a tone of utter indifference.

"Certainly, the companion of the man who is missing, and of whom no clew
can be discovered, is reported to have uttered your name repeatedly in
his ravings."

"My name,--how so?" cried the stranger, hurriedly.

"Yes, my Lord, the name of your passport,--Lord Glen-core. Two of those
I have placed to watch beside his bed have repeated the same story,
and told how he has never ceased to mutter the name to himself in his
wanderings."

"Is this a mere fancy?" said the stranger, over whose sickly features a
flush now mantled. "Can I see him?"

"Of course. He is in the hospital, and too ill to be removed; but if you
will visit him there, I will accompany you."

It was only when a call was made upon Lord Glencore for some bodily
exertion that his extreme debility became apparent. Seated at ease in a
chair, his manner seemed merely that of natural coolness and apathy;
he spoke as one who would not suffer his nature to be ruffled by any
avoidable annoyance; but now, as he arose from his seat, and endeavored
to walk, one side betrayed unmistakable signs of palsy, and his general
frame exhibited the last stage of weakness.

"You see, sir, that the exertion costs its price," said he, with a
sad, sickly smile. "I am the wreck of what once was a man noted for his
strength."

The other muttered some words of comfort and compassion, and they
descended the stairs together.

"I do not know this man," said Lord Glencore, as he gazed on the flushed
and fevered face of the sick man, whose ill-trimmed and shaggy beard
gave additional wild-ness to