“His patient is practically a murderer, and, as such, liable to be blackmailed to the limit. Also, the man’s brain is unbalanced, and that makes it possible to work upon his fears in an unusual way. Why should such a man have nearly a million in the bank? Can he enjoy it to the full with the specter of remorse always at his elbow? Couldn’t somebody else—the doctor, for instance—get a lot more out of that money? The answer is a foregone conclusion; but there’s another consideration as well. The doctor has an accomplice whom he cannot trust because of that same mental instability. An insane man is proud of his crimes, and likes to boast about them. He does so without any sense of responsibility. But that would never do in this instance, for such boasting would be almost certain to involve the doctor himself. Therefore, to the latter’s mind, there would be an additional reason for getting rid of his patient-accomplice. An additional fortune on the one hand—as a result of a little more clever manipulation—and the prevention of indiscreet blabbing on the other. Can you doubt the outcome?” Crawford seized Nick’s arm excitedly. “You’re right!” he agreed. “Jimmy isn’t safe for a moment while he’s in that fiend’s clutches. Where is he now?” “I don’t know,” the detective admitted. “He went away with Follansbee after giving you the injection. It was impossible for me to follow at the time; besides, I was altogether too uneasy in mind about you. I realized that your partner might be running into danger, but up to that time it had not come to me so forcibly as it did since. Even if it had, however, I should still have felt that my first duty was to you, and that your safety was more important.” “No, no!” cried the miner, gripping Nick’s arm until it ached. “You’re wrong there! My life is nothing to me compared with Jimmy’s safety. Hasn’t he come back yet?” “I don’t think so. He hasn’t been in his room, at least.” “Then there isn’t a moment to lose. Good heavens, this is maddening! Something terrible may have happened to him. We may be too late.” “Calm yourself,” the detective advised kindly. “I don’t think you need fear any immediate danger. Follansbee uses subtle methods in order to cover his tracks, and subtle methods take time.” “That may be, but I cannot have a moment’s peace until Jimmy is found and wrested from that devil’s influence. I’ll dress at once, and——” “Go ahead,” Nick interrupted, getting up from the bed. “You mustn’t think of taking a hand in this, though.” “But I must, man—for Jimmy’s sake. You admit yourself that you let him go off with that rascal without lifting a hand.”