“I suppose not. By the way, have you seen much of Roby since he has been about again?”
“Oh yes; a great deal, sir, on purpose. I’ve been trying to get him into a better frame of mind.”
“Well, I must say that you have not succeeded very well.”
“Horribly, sir. I thought he’d think differently as his wound healed up; but he is worse than ever.”
“Now then,” said the colonel, “tell me frankly what you think of Captain Roby’s state.”
“I think he puzzles me, sir. One hour I think he is as mad as a hatter—”
“Say as mad.”
“Yes, sir; one hour he’s as mad as mad, and the next he’s perfectly sane.”
“Perfectly sane, I should say, Dickenson,” said the colonel.
“Yes, sir, in all things but one, and over that he’s just like that fellow in the story.”