I suppose you know, sir, that Ronald West is about as ill as a man can be?
It will be touch and go whether we can get him home before the crash comes." "I thought he seemed excited and unwell," said Aubrey.

"What do you consider is the cause of his condition ?" "Well, the bother is, we can't exactly tell.

But I should say he has been letting himself in for constant exposure to extreme heat by day, and to swampy dampness by night; not taking proper food; living in a whirl of excited imagination with no rational companionship to form an outlet; and, on the top of all this, contracted some malarial germ, which has put up his temperature and destroyed the power of natural sleep.

This condition of brain has enabled him to work practically night and day at his manuscript, and I have no doubt he has written brilliant stuff, which an enchanted world will read by-and-by, with no notion of the price which has been paid for their pleasure and edification.

But meanwhile, unless proper steps are taken to avert disaster, our friend Ronnie will be, by then, unable to understand or to enjoy his triumph." Aubrey's lean face flushed.