I am exceedingly anxious about him." "You don't--er--anticipate anything of a--er--anything serious, I hope ?" "There is no need to anticipate," said I."It is already about as serious as it can be.

I think he might die at any moment." "Good God!" he gasped.

"You horrify me!" He was not exaggerating.

In his agitation, he stepped forward into the lighter part of the room, and I could see that his face was pale to ghastliness--except his nose and the adjacent red patches on his cheeks, which stood out in grotesquely hideous contrast.

Presently, however, he recovered a little and said: "I really think--at least I hope--that you take an unnecessarily serious view of his condition.