"But come," she pleaded. "Come anyway!" "Pat, I tell you this battle has to be fought out by me alone. I'm the only one who can do anything at all and," he lowered his voice, "Pat, I'm losing!" "Nick!" "That's why I came tonight. I was too cowardly to make our last meeting--Monday evening in the park--a definite farewell. I wanted to, but I weakened. So tonight, Pat, it's a final good-bye, and you thank Heaven for it!" "Oh, Nick dear!" "It was touch and go whether I came at all tonight. It was a struggle, Pat; _he_ is as strong as I am now. Or stronger." The girl gazed searchingly into his worn, weary face. He looked miserably ill, she thought; he seemed as exhausted as one who had been engaged in a physical battle. "Nick," she said insistently, "I don't care what you say, you're coming in with me. Only for a little while." She tugged at his hand, dragging him reluctantly after her. He followed her to the porch where the open door still framed the great figure of the Doctor. "You know Dr. Carl," she said. "Come inside," growled Horker. Pat noticed the gruffness of his voice, his lack of any cordiality, but she said nothing as she pulled her reluctant companion through the door and into the library. The Doctor drew up another chair, and Pat, more accustomed to his devices, observed that he placed it in such position that the lamp cast a stream of radiance on Nick's face. She sank into her own chair and waited silently for developments. "Well," said Horker, turning his shrewd old eyes on Nick's countenance, "let's get down to cases. Pat's told me what she knows; we can take that much for granted. Is there anything more you might want to tell?" "No, sir," responded the youth wearily. "I've told Pat all I know." "Humph! Maybe I can ask some leading questions, then. Will you answer them?" "Of course, any that I can." "All right. Now," the Doctor's voice took on a cool professional edge, "you've had these--uh--attacks as long as you can remember. Is that right?" "Yes." "But they've been more severe of late?" "Much worse, sir!" "Since when?" "Since--about as long as I've known Pat. Four or five weeks." "M--m," droned the Doctor. "You've no idea of the cause for this increase in the malignancy of the attacks?" "No sir," said Nick, after a barely perceptible hesitation. "You don't think the cause could be in any way connected with, let us say, the emotional disturbances attending your acquaintance with Pat here?" "No, sir," said the youth flatly. "All right," said Horker. "Let that angle go for the present. Are there any after effects from these spells?" "Yes. There's always a splitting headache." He closed his eyes. "I have one of them now." "Localized?" "Sir?" "Is the pain in any particular region? Forehead, temples, eyes, or so forth?" "No. Just a nasty headache." "But no other after-effects?"