Master of His Fate

dside of

d him to bed, and sat with him a while after he had administered a tonic and soporific. Then he left him in charge of the silent man in black, whom he reassured by saying that there wa

tion,-elation which was not all satisfaction in the successful performance of a new experiment, nor in a good deed well done. His friend came to see him early, to anticipate the risk of his rising. He insisted that he should keep his bed, for that day at least, if n

a thing, and I meant it to be kept secret, at least till it was better establishe

the "M. Dolaro" of whom the detective had gone in search, and who, if captured, would be certainly overwhelmed with contumely, if not with punishment,-whether or not that strange creature was Julius's father, or any relation at all of Julius. He was not clear how he could well put the matter to Julius, since he so evidently shrank

s sunshine (Lefevre thought he had never seen him looking more serene); but suddenly the sunshine was beclouded, and Julius

or and weakness of Lefevre's appearance, he paused abruptly, refrained from the hand stretched out to greet him, and exclaimed in a tone of something

Lefevre, in surprise and

considerable restraint upon himself. "I-I am unfortunately, miserably constituted: I cannot help it. I cannot bear the sig

easure assented to the opinion, that Julius was a rare, finely-strung being, with such pure and glowing health that he shrank from contact with, or from the sight of, pain or ill-health, and even from their discussion; but now that the singularity of Julius's organization impinged upon his

said. "Do you mind saying what y

our staying to lun

! Forgive what seems my rudeness. It distresses me that at such a tim

you not?" said Lefevre, beginning

" said Julius. "My man

ok at you. She said that she and my sister had seen a good deal of you lately; that yo

tions with Lady and Miss Lefevre, but Julius took no heed of it. He merely said, "No; I was not ill. I

a newspaper except for the weather, and so it is probable you do not know that I had brought to me yester

ndow, and glancing, as a less preoccupied observer than the

id Lefevre. "A lady this time,-titularly and really a

n on his face, that Lefevre could not but note them and confirm himself in his suspicion of the intimate bond of connection between him and

fair than the other. Lord Rivercourt is not the

is the outrage? Has the lady given an acco

called, but I am sure Lord Rivercourt-and he is a man of immense influence-will move heaven and ear

ent when the man is caught. Now, if that is all your news," he added hu

octor, and Julius went back to th

edness-the breaking of any of the laws of Nature, I mean (or, if you prefer to say so, the laws of God)-is bes

"I was walking in the Strand, and I could not help observing a man who fulfille

el

mazed; for-I must tell you-it looked for all the world like you grow

n look of terror which Lefevre was ashamed to have seen: it was like catching

man in the Strand the night before, who, he believes, was his old frien

s head out of the window, as if he had a mind to be gone t

all this has come about. An excellent old gentleman, who has been dining out or something, has a glimpse at night, on a crowded pavement, of a man who looks like a friend of his youth. Very well.

wa

e relative of my friend Julius!' Next day this hospital case turns up, and because the description of its author, given by more or less unobservant persons, fits the pe

began

tte galère? You are the best friend in the world, and whenever I am in trouble-and who knows? who knows? 'Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward'-I may ask of you both your friendship and your skill.

rough his bewilderment, "there must be something worse in i