Partridge shrugged his shoulders. "I wish to God I knew," he said. *CHAPTER XXVI* *ON THE PRECIPICE* The air of gloom that enveloped Wharton Kendrick’s home was almost physical in its intensity. It was with apprehension that I awaited the opening of the door, and it was with anxious eagerness that I looked to Mercy Fillmore as she stood behind the servant who answered my ring. "Oh, Mr. Hampden," she exclaimed, as she advanced and gave me her hand, "I have been wishing you would come." I was gratified at the tone of relief and confidence with which she spoke, but my response was to ask of the condition of Wharton Kendrick. "He is still out of his head," she replied, dropping into a seat. "Sometimes he talks a little--a few broken words--but most of the time he lies there silent, with vacant eyes. If it were not for his heavy breathing we should hardly know that he was alive." Her sympathetic face was filled with concern as she spoke. "What does the doctor say?" "He tries to look cheerful and speak confidently, but it is such an effort, I am afraid. Yet for Laura’s sake I hope, and try to be convinced by the doctor’s words." Then she added quickly: "I said I wanted to see you. Mr. Parks was here to-day. We had a long talk, and truly, Mr. Hampden, I want you to believe that he is a man of noble impulses. He is so unselfish, so eager for the good of others." "I don’t complain about his instincts. His heart is in the right place, as the saying goes, but his head is upside down." "Oh, Mr. Hampden, you do not understand him!" said Mercy in a pained voice. "Perhaps not; but surely he has not convinced you that he is wise to engage in such desperate enterprises as the overthrow of the government?" Mercy was silent a little, and then she said: "I should be glad if he could see some other way to work for the good of the people, but I am not wise myself, so how can I judge him? He tells me that it is not right to reason from womanly fears. Do you think he is in danger, Mr. Hampden? He is planning some important enterprise for to-night. Is there anything we can do to save him?" My private opinion was that Parks would end by getting shot or thrown into jail. But I could not pain Mercy with any such brutal statements, so I soothed her fears as best I could. "We can’t influence him to keep out of the movement," I said, "but ten to one it won’t amount to anything but a lot of oratory, and hard words break no bones. You have no cause to worry about him." "Well, I’m glad to hear you say so," said Mercy, looking relieved. "And now I want to tell you about Danny Regan. You know that Moon Ying recognized him as that old Chinaman’s express-man?" "Yes. She told me."