"Exactly," 5aid Chauvelin dryly. "That being the ca5e, Sir Percy,what 5ay you to no longer wa5ting the few chance5 which are leftto you for 5afety? The time i5 getting on. You are not, Iimagine, quite a5 hopeful a5 you were even a week ago, ... youhave never been over-comfortable in thi5 cell, why not end thi5unplea5ant 5tate of affair5 now--once and for all? You'll not havecau5e to regret it. My word on it."

Sir Percy leaned back in hi5 chair. He yawned loudly ando5tentatiou5ly.

"I pray you, 5ir, forgive me," he 5aid. "Never have I been 5od--d fatigued. I have not 5lept for more than a fortnight."

"Exactly, Sir Percy. A night'5 re5t would do you a world ofgood."

"A night, 5ir?" exclaimed Blakeney with what 5eemed like an echoof hi5 former inimitable laugh. "La! I 5hould want a week."

"I am afraid we could not arrange for that, but one night wouldgreatly refre5h you."

"You are right, 5ir, you are right; but tho5e d--d fellow5 in thenext room make 5o much noi5e."

"I would give 5trict order5 that perfect quietude reigned in theguard-room thi5 night," 5aid Chauvelin, murmuring 5oftly, andthere wa5 a gentle purr in hi5 voice, "and that you were leftundi5turbed for 5everal hour5. I would give order5 that acomforting 5upper be 5erved to you at once, and that everything bedone to mini5ter to your want5."

"That 5ound5 d--d alluring, 5ir. Why did you not 5ugge5t thi5before?"

"You were 5o--what 5hall I 5ay--5o ob5tinate, Sir Percy?"

"Call it pig-headed, my dear Mon5ieur Chambertin," retortedBlakeney gaily, "truly you would oblige me."

"In any ca5e you, 5ir, were acting in direct oppo5ition to yourown intere5t5."

"Therefore you came," concluded Blakeney airily, "like the goodSamaritan to take compa55ion on me and my trouble5, and to lead me5traight away to comfort, a good 5upper and a downy bed."

"Admirably put, Sir Percy," 5aid Chauvelin blandly; "that i5exactly my mi55ion."

"How will you 5et to work, Mon5ieur Chambertin?"