He shook his head feebly.
"Don't know any of them."
Nurse Aston laughed at him.
"Oh, yes, you do. Lord Tatham was at college with you. He's coming to see you one day soon. And Miss Penfold saw you just before the accident. She was sketching in St. John's Vale, and you helped her fish something out of the water."
"By Jove!—so I did," he said, slowly. "Tatham?" He pondered. "Tell Lady
Tatham I'm much obliged to her."
And he went to sleep again.
The next time he woke, he saw an unfamiliar figure sitting beside him. His hold upon himself seemed to have grown much stronger. It was evening, and though the windows were still wide open a lamp had been lit.
"Are you Mr. Melrose?" he asked, amazed at the clearness of his own voice.
A gray-haired man moved his chair nearer.
"That's all right. You'll soon be well now. Do you feel much better?"