and glanced sharply at Arthur Chester. What he saw made him
follow the moment's inspection with a direct question.

"Sit down. What have you been doing?"

Chester sat down. His face was white. He held up one shaking
hand. "Red, what's the matter with me?"

Burns continued to study the man before him. He made no move
to examine into his condition, just looked steadily into the
other's face with a gaze before which his patient presently
shifted uneasily.

"Well, of all the ways to treat a fellow!" He tried to laugh.
"Is that the way you do with the rest of the bunch that come
to you every day? Or are you trying to hypnotize me?"

"Look me in the eye, Ches. What have you been doing?"

"Working like a fiend in that infernal office. If there's any
hotter place - "

"There'll be a hotter one for you right on this earth, if you
keep on the way you're going."

He rose suddenly, and approaching Chester closely, looked
intently into the uplifted eyes. He sat down again. "Own
up!" he commanded bluntly.

"Red," begged Chester, "quit this sort of thing. Go at me in