another white. The lines about the corners of the eyes and
mouth were both many and deep. On the other hand, the eyes
themselves were alight and alert as ever; they were still keen
and gray and gleaming, like finely tempered steel. Even the
mouth, with a cigarette to close it, was the mouth of Raffles
and no other: strong and unscrupulous as the man himself. It
was only the physical strength which appeared to have departed;
but that was quite sufficient to make my heart bleed for the
dear rascal who had cost me every tie I valued but the tie
between us two.

"Think I look much older?" he asked at length.

"A bit," I admitted. "But it is chiefly your hair."

"Whereby hangs a tale for when we've talked ourselves out,
though I have often thought it was that long swim that started
it. Still, the Island of Elba is a rummy show, I can assure
you. And Naples is a rummier!"

"You went there after all?"

"Rather! It's the European paradise for such as our noble
selves. But there's no place that's a patch on little London as
a non-conductor of heat; it never need get too hot for a fellow
here; if it does it's his own fault. It's the kind of wicket
you don't get out on, unless you get yourself out. So here I am
again, and have been for the last six weeks. And I mean to have
another knock."