"Ishalllookupmyfriend' shabitationinthemorning, " saidthestudent, ashewentovertocollecthisbooks."Thethirdpicturefromthefireplace; Ishallnotforget." Hepickedupthebooksonebyone, commentingonthemasheliftedthem."ConicSectionshedoesnotmind, norCycloidalOscillations, northePrincipia, norQuaternions, !" , , ashemurmuredtohimself: "TheBiblemymothergaveme! Whatanoddcoincidence." Hesatdowntoworkagain, , however; , andafterstrivingtomasterthesubjectonwhichhewasengagedgaveitupindespair, andwenttobedasthehefirststreakofdawnstoleinthroughtheeasternwindow.
Hesleptheavilybutuneasily, anddreamedmuch; , .", whenIamouttodayIwishyouwouldgetthestepsanddustorwashthosepictures—speciallythatonethethirdfromthefireplace—Iwanttoseewhattheyare."
LateintheafternoonMalcolmsonworkedathisbooksintheshadedwalk, andthecheerfulnessofthepreviousdaycamebacktohimasthedayworeon, , "TheGoodTraveller." Hefoundastrangerinthecosysitting-roomwiththelandlady, , andthis, combinedwiththedoctor' splungingatonceintoaseriesofquestions, madeMalcolmsoncometotheconclusionthathispresencewasnotanaccident, sowithoutpreliminaryhesaid: ", Ishallwithpleasureansweryouanyquestionyoumaychoosetoaskmeifyouwillanswermyonequestionfirst."
Thedoctorseemedsurprised, buthesmiledandansweredatonce, "Done! Whatisit?"
"?"
, ; butthedoctorwasafrankandreadyman, andheansweredatonceandopenly."Shedid: butshedidn' , , , soIsupposeImaytakethelibertyofacollegeman, andwithoutoffence, adviseyounotquiteasastranger."
Malcolmsonwithabrightsmileheldouthishand."Shake! astheysayinAmerica, " hesaid.", —noteaatalltillyouletme—andIshallgotobedtonightatoneo' ?"
"Capital, " saidthedoctor."Nowtellusallthatyounoticedintheoldhouse, " , tillfinallywhenhetoldoftheepisodeoftheBiblethelandlady' spent-upemotionsfoundventinashriek; , : "Theratalwayswentuptheropeofthealarmbell?"
"Always."
"Isupposeyouknow, " saidthedoctorafterapause, "whattheropeis?"
"No!"
"Itis, " saidthedoctorslowly, "theveryropewhichthehangmanusedforallthevictimsoftheJudge' sjudicialrancour!" , , andfoundthatitwasclosetohisdinnerhour, hadgonehomebeforehercompleterecovery.
' smind."Hehasquiteenoughtherealreadytoupsethim, " :
"Mydearmadam, Ihadadistinctpurposeinit! Iwantedtodrawhisattentiontothebellrope, , andhasbeenstudyingtoomuch, althoughIamboundtosaythatheseemsassoundandhealthyayoungman, mentallyandbodily, aseverIsaw—butthentherats—andthatsuggestionofthedevil." Thedoctorshookhisheadandwenton."; , ."
"Oh, Doctor, whatdoyoumean? Whatdoyoumean?"
