in the hand I was holding. Life was sweet to
him, then, after all--sweet to this wild dare-devil who had just faced
death with such calmness! Dr. Rowell, though showing no sign of
jealousy, could not conceal a look of incredulity.

"With your permission," said Entrefort, addressing Arnold, "I will do
what I can to save your life."

"You may," said the poor boy.

"But I shall have to hurt you."

"Well."

"Perhaps very much."

"Well."

"And even if I succeed (the chance is one in a thousand) you will never
be a sound man, and a constant and terrible danger will always be
present."

"Well."

Entrefort wrote a note and sent it away in haste by a bell-boy.

"Meanwhile," he resumed, "your life is in imminent danger from shock,
and the end may come in a few minutes or hours from that cause. Attend
without delay to whatever matters may require settling, and Dr.
Rowell," glancing at that gentleman, "will give you something to brace
you up. I speak frankly, for I see that you are a man of extraordinary
nerve. Am I right?"

"Be perfectly candid," said Arnold.

Dr. Rowell, evidently bewildered by his cyclonic young associate, wrote
a prescription, which I sent by a boy to be filled. With unwise zeal I
asked Entrefort,--

"Is there not danger of lockjaw?"

"No," he replied; "there is not a sufficiently extensive injury to
peripheral nerves to induce traumatic tetanus."

I subsided. Dr. Rowell's medicine came and I administered a dose. The
physician and the surgeon then retired. The poor sufferer straightened
up his business. When it was done he asked me,--

"What is that crazy Frenchman going to do to me?"

"I have no idea; be patient."

In less than an hour they returned, bringing with them a keen-eyed,
tall young man, who had a number of tools wrapped in an apron.
Evidently he was unused to such scenes, for he became deathly pale upon
seeing the ghastly spectacle on my bed. With staring eyes and open
mouth he began to retreat towards the door, stammering,--

"I--I can't do it."

"Nonsense, Hippolyte! Don't be a baby. Why, man, it is a case of life
and death!"

"But--look at his eyes! he is dying!"

Arnold smiled. "I am not dead, though," he gasped.

"I--I beg your pardon," said Hippolyte.

Dr. Entrefort gave the nervous man a drink of brandy and then said,--

"No more nonsense, my boy; it must be done. Gentlemen, allow me to
introduce Mr. Hippolyte, one of the most original, ingenious, and
skilf