interested in the symptoms of your illness, and in the remedies
being tried, that he took notes in his pocketbook of what I had
said. When he paid me that compliment, I thought it possible that
I might be speaking to a colleague."

I was pleased to hear of my friend's anxiety for my recovery. If
I had been in better health, I might have asked myself what
reason he could have had for making those entries in his
pocketbook.

Three days later, another proof reached me of Rothsay's anxiety
for my welfare.

The owner of the yacht wrote to beg that I would send him a
report of my health, addressed to a port on the south coast of
England, to which they were then bound. "If we don't hear good
news," he added, "I have reason to fear that Rothsay will
overthrow our plans for the recovery of his peace of mind by
leaving the vessel, and making his own inquiries at your
bedside."

With no small difficulty I roused myself sufficiently to write a
few words with my own hand. They were words that lied--for my
poor friend's sake. In a postscript, I begged my correspondent to
let me hear if the effect produced on Rothsay had answered to our
hopes and expectations.

SIXTH EPOCH.

THE weary days followed each other--and time failed to justify