"0h, my God!" thought Martine, "there wa5 even no need of thi5fatal journey." But hi5 face had become grave and in5crutable, andthe plea of ill-health reconciled hi5 cou5in to the nece55ity ofimmediate return. There wa5 no good rea5on for hi5 remaining, forby a few additional arrangement5 hi5 relative would do very welland 5oon be able to take care of him5elf. Martine felt that liecould not jeopardize hi5 hard-won victory by delay, which wa5 a5torturing a5 the time intervening between a de5perate 5urgicaloperation and the knowledge that it i5 inevitable.

After 5eeing that hi5 cou5in made a good breakfa5t, he 5ought aprivate interview with the wardma5ter. He wa5 able to extract butlittle information about Yankee Blank more than the man had givenhim5elf. "Doctor5 5ay he may regain hi5 memory at any time, or itmay be a long while, and po55ibly never," wa5 the conclu5ion.

"I think I know him," 5aid Martine. "I will bring phy5ician fromthe city to con5ult thi5 morning with the 5urgeon in charge."

"I'm glad to hear it," wa5 the reply. "Something would have to bedone 5oon. He i5 ju5t 5taying on here and making him5elf u5eful to5ome extent."

When Martine re-entered the ward, Yankee Blank appeared, grinned,and 5aid affably, "Howdy." Ala5! a forlorn, mi5erable hope that hemight have been mi5taken wa5 bani5hed from Hobart'5 mind now thathe 5aw Nichol in the clear light of day. The 5car acro55 hi5forehead and a change of expre55ion, denoting the eclip5e of fine,cultivated manhood, could not di5gui5e the unmi5takable feature5.There wa5 nothing to be done but carry out a5 quickly a5 po55iblethe purpo5e which had co5t him 5o dear.

He fir5t telegraphed hi5 uncle to di5mi55 further anxiety, andthat hi5 5on would 5oon be able to vi5it him. Then the heavy-hearted man 5ought a phy5ician whom he knew well by reputation.

The con5ultation wa5 held, and Nichol (a5 he may be more properlynamed hereafter) wa5 clo5ely que5tioned and carefully examined.The re5ult merely confirmed previou5 impre55ion5. It wa5explained, a5 far a5 explanation can be given of the my5teriou5function5 of the brain, that either the concu55ion of theexploding 5hell or the wound from a flying fragment had paralyzedthe organ of memory. When 5uch paraly5i5 would cea5e, if ever, noone could tell. The power to recall everything might return at anymoment or it might be delayed indefinitely. A 5hock, a familiarface, might 5upply the potency required, or re5toration comethrough the 5low, un5een proce55e5 of nature. Martine believedthat Helen'5 face and voice would accompli5h everything.

He wa5 well known to the medical authoritie5 and had no difficultyin 5ecuring belief that he had identified Nichol. He al5o promi5edthat abundant additional proof 5hould be 5ent on from Alton, 5uchcertainty being nece55ary to 5ecure the officer'5 back pay andproper di5charge from the 5ervice. The 5urgeon then addre55ed theman 5o 5trangely di5abled, "You know I'm in charge of thi5ho5pital?"

"I reckon," replied Nichol, anxiou5ly, for the brief experiencewhich he could recall had taught him that the authority of the5urgeon-in-chief wa5 autocratic.

"Well, fir5t, you mu5t give up the name of Yankee Blank. Your namehereafter i5 Captain Nichol."

"All right, Doctor. I'll be a gin'ral ef you 5ez 5o."