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ur restaurants。 You see； that side of your life represents something we are altogether ignorant of in Japan。〃
〃It is a very wonderful place；〃 the doctor admitted。 〃We had luncheon； my friend and I； in the grillroom； but we came for a few minutes into the foyer to watch the people from the restaurant。〃
The Prince nodded genially。
〃By the bye；〃 he remarked； 〃it is strange that my very good friendMr。 Inspector Jacksshould also be a friend of yours。〃
〃He is scarcely that；〃 the doctor objected。 〃I have known him for a very short time。〃
The Prince raised his eyebrows。 The whiskey and soda were brought； and the doctor helped himself。 How curiously deficient these Westerners were； the Prince thought； in every instinct of duplicity！ As clearly as possible the doctor had revealed the fact that his acquaintance with Inspector Jacks was of precisely that nature which might have been expected。
The Prince sighed。 There was but one course open to him。
〃Now； Dr。 Whiles；〃 he said； 〃I will tell you something。 You must listen to me very carefully； please。 I sent for you not so much on account of any immediate pain but because my general health has been giving me a little trouble lately。 I have come to the conclusion that I require the services of a medical attendant always at hand。〃
The doctor looked at his prospective patient skeptically。
〃You have not the appearance；〃 he remarked； 〃of being in ill health。〃
〃Perhaps not；〃 the Prince answered。 〃Perhaps even； there is not for the moment very much the matter with me。 One has humors； you know； my dear doctor。 I have a somewhat large suite here with me in England； but I do not number amongst them a physician。 I wanted to ask you to accept that position in my household for two months。〃
〃Do you mean come and live here？〃 the doctor asked。
〃That is exactly what I do mean；〃 the Prince answered。 〃I am thankful to observe that your apprehensions are so acute。 I warn you that I am going to make some very curious conditions。 I do not know whether money is an object to you。 If not； I am powerless。 If it is； I propose to make it worth your while。〃
The doctor did not hesitate。
〃Money；〃 he said； 〃is the greatest object in life to me。 I have none； and I want some very badly。〃
The Prince smiled。
〃I find your candor delightful；〃 he declared。 〃Now tell me； Dr。 Whiles； how many patients have you in your neighborhood absolutely dependent upon your services？〃
The doctor hesitated； opened his mouth and closed it again。
〃Not one！〃 he declared。
Once more the Prince's lips parted。 His smile this time was definite； transfiguring。
〃I find you； Dr。 Whiles；〃 he announced； 〃a most charmingly reasonable person。 I make you my offer； then； with every confidence； although I warn you that there will be some strange conditions attached to it。 I ask you to accept the post of private physician to this household for the space of oneit may be two months； and I offer you also； as an honorarium； the fee of one thousand guineas。〃
The doctor sat quite still for a moment。 He was in a condition when speech was difficult。 Then his eyes fell upon his tumbler of whiskey and soda still half filled。 He emptied it at a draught。
〃A thousand guineas！〃 he repeated hoarsely。
〃I trust that you will find the sum attractive；〃 the Prince said smoothly； 〃because； as I have warned you before； there are one or two curious conditions coupled with the post。〃
〃I don't care what the conditions are；〃 the doctor said slowly。 〃I accept！〃
The Prince nodded。
〃You are the man I thought you were； doctor；〃 he said。 〃The first condition； then； is this。 You see the sitting room we are now ina pleasant little apartment； I think；books； you see； papers； a smoking cabinet in which I can assure you that you will find the finest Havana cigars and the best cigarettes to be procured in London。 Through here〃the Prince threw open an inner door〃is a small sleeping apartment。 It has； as you see； the same outlook。 It is comfortable if not luxurious。〃
The doctor sighed。
〃I am not used to luxury；〃 he said。
〃These two rooms will be yours；〃 the Prince announced； 〃and the first condition of our arrangement is that until two months are up； or our engagement is finished； you do not leave them。〃
The doctor stared at him blankly。
〃Are you in earnest； sir？〃 he asked。
〃In absolute earnest；〃 the Prince assured him。 〃Not only that； but I require you to keep your whereabouts； until after the period of time I have mentioned； an entire secret from every one。 I gather that you are not married； and that there is no one living in your house to whom it would seem necessary to disclose your movements。 In any case； this is another of my conditions。 You are neither to write nor receive any letters whilst here。 You are to figure in the neighborhood from which you came as a man who has disappeared；as a man； in short； who has found it impossible to pay his way and has preferred simply to slip out of his place。 At the end of two months you can reappear or not； as you choose。 That rests with yourself。〃
The doctor smiled faintly。 To make some sort of disappearance had been his precise intention； but to disappear in this fashion and make his return to the world with a thousand guineas in his pocket； had not exactly come within the scope of his imagination。 It was a situation full of allurements。 Nevertheless he was bewildered。
〃I am to live in these two rooms？〃 he demanded。 〃I am to let no one know where I am； to write no letters； to receive none？ My duties are to be simply to treat you？〃
〃When required；〃 the Prince remarked dryly。
〃I suppose；〃 the doctor asked； 〃my friend Mr。 Jacks was speaking the truth when he told me your name？〃
〃My name is Prince Maiyo；〃 the Prince said。
Mechanically the doctor helped himself to another whiskey and soda。
〃You are to be my only patient；〃 he said thoughtfully。 〃May I take the liberty of feeling your pulse； Prince？〃
The Prince extended his hand。 The doctor felt it and resumed his seat。
〃There is； of course； nothing whatever the matter with you；〃 he declared。 〃You are； I should say； in absolutely perfect health。 You have no need of a physician。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 the Prince protested； smiling； 〃I need you； Dr。 Whiles； so much that I am paying you a thousand guineas〃
〃To remain in these two rooms；〃 the doctor remarked quietly。
〃It is not your business to think that or to know that；〃 the Prince said。 〃Do you accept my offer？〃
〃If I should refuse？〃 the doctor asked。
The Prince hesitated。
〃Do not let us suppose that；〃 he said。 〃It is not a pleasant suggestion。 I do not think that you mean to refuse。〃
〃Frankly； I do not；〃 the doctor answered。 〃And yet treat it as a whim of mine and answer my question。 Supposing I should？〃
〃The matter would arrange itself in precisely the same way；〃 the Prince answered。 〃You would not leave these rooms for two months。〃
The doctor leaned back in his chair and laughed shortly。
〃This is rather hard luck on Inspector Jacks；〃 he said。 〃He paid me ten guineas the other day to lunch with him。〃
〃Mr。 Inspector Jacks；〃 the Prince remarked； 〃is scarcely in a position to bid you an adequate sum for your services。〃
〃It appears to me；〃 the doctor continued； 〃that I am kidnapped。〃
〃An admirable word；〃 the Prince declared。 〃At what time do you usually lunch？〃
The doctor smiled。
〃I am not used to motoring；〃 he said； 〃or interviews of this exciting character。 I lunch； as a rule； when I can get anything to eat。 The present seems to me to be a most suitable hour。〃
The Prince nodded； and rose to his feet。
〃I will send my servant；〃 he said； 〃to take your orders。 My cook is very highly esteemed here； and I can assure you that you will not be starved。 Please also make out a list of the newspapers； magazines； and books with which you would like to be supplied。 I fear that； for obvious reasons； my people would hardly be able to anticipate your wants。〃
〃And about that examination？〃 the doctor remarked。
〃I shall do myself the pleasure of seeing you every day；〃 the Prince answered。 〃There will be time enough for that。〃
With an amiable word of farewell the Prince departed。 The doctor threw himself into an easy chair。 His single exclamation was laconic but forcible。
CHAPTER XXVI。 SOME FAREWELLS
Never did Prince Maiyo show fewer signs of his Japanese origin than when in the company of other men of his own race。 Side by side with His Excellency the Baron Hesho； the contrasts in feature and expression were so marked as to make it hard； indeed； to believe that these two men could belong to the same nation。 The Baron Hesho had high cheekbones； a yellow skin； close…cropped black hair； and wore gold…rimmed spectacles through which he beamed upon the whole world。 The Prince； as he lounged in his wicker chair and watched the blue smoke of his cigarette curl upwards； looked more like an Italianperhaps a Spaniard。 The shape of his head was perfectly Western； perfectly and typically Romanesque。 The carriage of his body must have been inherited from his mother； of whom it was said that no more graceful woman ever walked。 Yet between these two men； so different in all externals； there was the strongest sympathy； althoug