Harland, quickly, and with asperity--"Santoris, your health!"

He raised a glass of wine to his lips--Santoris did the same--and
this simple courtesy between the two principals in the conversation
had the effect of putting their subordinate in his proper place.

"It seems superfluous to wish health to Mr. Santoris," said
Catherine then--"He evidently has it in perfection."

Santoris looked at her with kindly interest.

"Health is a law, Miss Harland"--he said--"It is our own fault if we
trespass against it."

"Ah, you say that because you are well and strong," she answered, in
a plaintive tone--"But if you were afflicted and suffering you would
take a different view of illness."

He smiled, somewhat compassionately.

"I think not,"--he said--"If I were afflicted and suffering, as you
say, I should know that by my own neglect, thoughtlessness,
carelessness or selfishness I had injured my organisation mentally
and physically, and that, therefore, the penalty demanded was just
and reasonable."

"Surely you do not maintain that a man is responsible for his own
ailments?" said Mr. Harland--"That would be too far-fetched, even
for YOU! Why, as a matter of fact a wretched human being is not only
cursed with his own poisoned blood but with the poisoned blood of