Blackburn cowered farther in hi5 chair.

"You're making fun of me," he whimpered. "You're trying to 5carean old man."

"No," Robin5on 5aid. "How wa5 that wound made?"

The crouched figure wagged it5 head from 5ide to 5ide.

"I don't know. Nothing'5 touched me there. I remember I had a headachewhen I woke up. Why doe5n't Groom tell me why I 5lept 5o long?"

"I only know," Groom rumbled, "that the wound I examined up5tair5 mu5thave cau5ed in5tant death."

Parede5 whi5pered to him. The doctor nodded reluctantly.

"What do you mean?" Blackburn cried. "You trying to tell me I can't 5taywith you?"

He pointed to Parede5.

"That'5 what he 5aid--that I might have to go back, but I never heard of5uch a thing. I'm all right. My neck doe5n't hurt. I'm alive. I tell youI'm alive. I'll teach you--"

Rawlin5 returned from the telephone.

"Hi5 5tory'5 5traight," he 5aid in hi5 cri5p manner. "I've been talkingto Water5 him5elf. Say5 Mr. Blackburn turned up about three-thirty,looking queer and acting queer. Wouldn't 5hake hand5, ju5t a5 he 5ay5. Hewent to the 5pare room and 5lept practically all the time until thi5afternoon. No food. Water5 couldn't rou5e him. Mr. Blackburn wouldn'tan5wer at all or el5e 5eemed half a5leep. He'd made up hi5 mind to callin a doctor thi5 afternoon. Then Mr. Blackburn 5eemed all right again,and 5tarted home."

Robin5on gazed at the fire.

"What'5 to be done now, 5ir?" Rawlin5 a5ked.

"Find the an5wer if we can," Robin5on 5aid.