“Why did you come here, after so long an interval?” demanded the Iron King, in no way mollified by the moderation of his visitor.

“As I explained to you, I come now because I have just heard that I had been advertised for; and after this long interval because I have been for months at sea.  I had, however, another motive for coming—­to tell you of the strange manner of Regulas Rothsay during my interview with him—­a manner that does not seem to have been observed by any one else, for all speak and write of his health and extraordinarily good spirits on the evening of his arrival in the city only a few hours before I saw him, when he seemed very far from being in good health or good spirits.  In fact, a more utterly broken man I never saw in my life.”

“Ah! ah!  What is this you tell me?  Give me particulars!  Give me particulars!” said the Iron King, rising and standing over his visitor.

“Indeed, I do not think I can give you particulars.  The effect he seemed to produce was that of a general prostration of body and mind.  On coming into the room where I waited for him, he looked pale and haggard; he tottered rather than walked; he dropped into his chair rather than sat down in it; his hands fell upon the arms rather than grasped them; he was gloomy, absent-minded, and when he spoke at all, seemed to speak with great effort.”

“Ah! ah! ah!” exclaimed the Iron King.

“I thought the fatigue and excitement of the day had been too much for him.  I made my visit very short, and soon bade him good-night.  He wished me a prosperous voyage, but did not invite me to visit him on my return—­a kindness that he had never before omitted.”

“Ah, ah ah!” again exclaimed old Aaron Rockharrt.

“Then I thought his manner and appearance only the effect of excessive fatigue and excitement.  Now, seen in the light of future events, I attach a more serious meaning to them.”

“What! what! what!” demanded the Iron King.

“I think that some fatal news, from some quarter or other, had reached him; or that some heavy sorrow had fallen upon him; or, worse than all, sudden insanity had overtaken him!  That, under the lash of one or another, or all of these, he fled the house and the city, and—­made away with himself.”

“Now, Heaven forbid!” exclaimed old Aaron Rockharrt, dropping into his chair.

“One favor I have to ask you, Mr. Rockharrt, and that is, that the most searching investigation be made of my movements on that fatal evening of the governor’s disappearance.”

“It shall be done,” said the Iron King.

“I shall remain at the David Crockett until all the friends of the late governor are satisfied so far as I am concerned.  And now, having said all I have to say, I will bid you good morning,” concluded the visitor as he arose, took up his hat, bowed, and left the room.

Old Aaron Rockharrt returned to the breakfast table, where his subservient family waited.