"You are quite well, Monsieur Gervase," he said after a pause,--
"You have a little sur-excitation of the nerves, certainly,--but
it is not curable by medicine." He dropped the hand he held, and
looked up--"Good-night!"

"Good-night!" responded Gervase.

"Good-night!" added Courtney.

And with an amiable salutation the Doctor went his way. The ball-
room was now quite deserted, and the hotel servants were
extinguishing the lights.

"A curious little man, that Doctor," observed Gervase, addressing
Courtney, to whom as yet he had not been formally introduced.

"Very curious!" was the reply, "I have known him for some years,--
he is a very clever man, but I have never been able quite to make
him out. I think he is a bit eccentric. He's just been telling me
he believes in ghosts."

"Ah, poor fellow!" and Gervase yawned as, with his companion, he
crossed the deserted ball-room. "Then he has what you call a screw
loose. I suppose it is that which makes him interesting. Good-
night!"

"Good-night!"

And separating, they went their several ways to the small, cell-
like bedrooms, which are the prime discomfort of the Gezireh