"It spread everywhere. I made an effort to fight, of course; did my desperate best to conquer the dream book. In the end, I won the fight, but by that time my nerve was gone. Everyone passing me in the street knew that I was a dope fiend. It was whispered at me socially and financially--from all quarters. At last I woke up to the fact that my money and good repute were gone. I can still practise medicine--if I have the nerve." "Hm!" grunted Sandy. "Why didn't you stick it out? Aiblins, now, a man like you!" "Why didn't you stick it out yourself?" Murray's laugh bit like acid. "Do you know why I stood in the top rank of surgeons? Because a great surgeon must be like a sword; he must decide instantly, quick and true and sharp--and he must be right. The hemming and hawing kind never reach the top, Mackintavers. And I--well, my nerve was gone after the publicity, and all. I was a branded man! Like yourself." Mackintavers shivered slightly. "You haven't lost your nerve," he retorted, "or you would not admit it so readily." "Rats! I've been on the road for six months, trying to recuperate under the open air and get away from everything. Now, Willyum! Roll a cigarette and don't shake your head at me. You'll like Willyum, friend Mackintavers. He has a proprietary interest in me. He believes that I restored some of his vitality----" "Aw! you knows it damn well!" broke out Hobbs affectionately, and turned to Sandy. "He found me layin' in a ditch, and he cut me open an' took care o' me----" "Oh, hush your babbling!" snapped Douglas Murray. "Let's discuss more pleasant matters. Where are you going from here, Mackintavers? You offered us a ride, you know----" Sandy made a vague gesture. He could not have been recognized as the Mackintavers of a month ago; he was pitifully broken and indecisive. "Anywhere," he said weakly. "Into Mexico--anywhere. You'd better hop in. We'll go on to California, huh?" There was silence to his invitation. Hobbs was rolling a cigarette, Murray produced a briar pipe and raked up some loose tobacco from his coat pocket. He was sitting on the equipage in the tonneau of the car. The broiling sun of Arizona drifted down upon them, insufferable and suffocating. "We're not broke," said Hobbs suddenly. "We're not broke, but we gotta get to grub quick. That's why we stopped you. This desert----" Mackintavers waved his hand. "I have some grub back there. And a little money hidden. Let's go together, eh?" Murray lighted his pipe and glanced at Hobbs, inquiringly, his eyebrows uplifted in a satirical questioning. Hobbs frowned in his earnest fashion. "Why, Mackintavers, you and us has met up kinda queer; we're all in the same boat, sort of. But I dunno about goin' on together. I'm tellin' you straight, we gotta eat, but we aim to do it on the level--far's we can." "You--what?" blurted Sandy. "You hold me up, and then you----" Douglas Murray intervened.