The doctor hesitated. “You aren’t surprised that I should ask you about Grif?” “No, sir.” “Then you _do_ know something.... Now, I’m going to take you into my confidence.” He paused as if to allow Palmer time to acknowledge this favour, but the boy retained his attitude of silent imperturbability, and his faint smile struck the doctor as being even slightly cynical. It was at all events quite apparent that he believed he had very few confidences to bestow. “I’m not satisfied about Grif’s illness. I believe there’s something more in it than we are aware of; something behind it; some reason for it of which I know nothing.” Palmer nodded slowly: he quite understood. “Now I want you to tell me _your_ ideas on the subject, if you have any.” There was a perceptible silence, during which Palmer appeared to be turning the matter very carefully over in his mind. “If I had been allowed to listen to what Grif said when he was ill, I think I could have helped you,” he at last produced cautiously. “How do you know he said anything?” “Don’t people always talk when they are delirious?” “They usually talk a great deal of nonsense.” “Based on something else?” “Possibly.” “It’s the nonsense, isn’t it, that you want to find out about?” The doctor eyed him sharply. “I want to find out if there has been any influence at work upon his mind――any unhealthy influence.” “And you suspect somebody, sir?” “I don’t say that.... At any rate I haven’t mentioned my suspicion to anyone but you.” Palmer received this compliment somewhat coolly. “If I speak, I suppose there is no danger of what I say going any further?” “My dear boy, the greatest danger you run at present is that of developing into a prig,” said the doctor, a little ruffled. “It’s a very remote one, isn’t it?” “Not nearly so remote as you appear to imagine. But I agree to your terms: I’ll not give you away, if that’s what you mean. Don’t you see that I have only given myself away, by taking it for granted that you have thought of the matter at all?” “Well, you weren’t mistaken,” the boy admitted. “In fact, if you hadn’t spoken to me I should probably have spoken to _you_――in a few days.” “Why in a few days?” “Because I might have had more to say then.” “You are investigating the case?” Palmer’s small brown eyes regarded him with quiet amusement. “I have given it a few hours, sir,” he said. “I’m glad to hear it. You haven’t, I suppose, reached a definite conclusion?” “No. But I know where to look for one.” “The deuce, you do!” the doctor murmured. “Also I dare say I can tell you one or two things even now that may interest you:――always, of course, speaking in confidence.” The doctor eyed him somewhat grimly, but Palmer went on, quite undisturbed: “First, however, I want to _ask_ a question. How long have you known Mr. Bradley, sir?” “For several years――ever since I’ve been here.” “But you don’t know him very well, perhaps?”