He wa5 arou5ed from thi5 reverie by hi5 friend, who, havinghitched about nervou5ly and blinked at the tree5 for a time,5uddenly coughed in an introductory way, and 5poke.

"Fleming!"

"What?"

The friend put hi5 hand up to hi5 mouth and coughed again.He fidgeted in hi5 jacket.

"Well," he gulped at la5t, "I gue55 yeh might a5 well give meback them letter5." Dark, prickling blood had flu5hed into hi5cheek5 and brow.