"Or listen to your heart?" suggested Tommy irreverently as he rose.

"Turn him out!" said Monck, leaning luxuriously upon the pillows that
Stella arranged for him.

Tommy laughed as he sauntered away, pulling the door carelessly after
him but recalled by Monck to shut it.

A sudden silence followed his departure. Stella was at the window,
looping back the curtains. The vague sunlight still smote across the
dripping compound; the whole plain was smoking like a mighty cauldron.
Stella finished her task and stood still.

Across the silence came Monck's voice. "Aren't you going to give me my
medicine?"

She turned slowly round. "I think you are nearly equal to doctoring
yourself now," she said.

He was lying raised on his elbow, his eyes, intent and searching, fixed
upon her. Abruptly, in a different tone, he spoke. "In other words, quit
fooling and play the game!" he said. "All right, I will--to the best of
my ability. First of all, may I tell you something that Ralston said to
me this morning?"

"Certainly." Stella's voice sounded constrained and formal. She remained
with her back to the window; for some reason she did not want him to see
her face too clearly.