There was a sudden hush, prolonged for several minutes; then Stubbs
dropped to his knee with an inarticulate cry and threw his arms around
the neck of Nikol.

Quickly the others gathered about and Hal shouted:

"A surgeon, quick!"

But Nikol, raising his head to Stubbs' knee, stopped him with a gesture.

"It's no use," he said quietly. "It got me here," and he raised a hand
slowly and touched a spot just above the heart. "A surgeon can do no
good. Besides, I would not have a stranger near me when I die. To me you
are all strangers and yet for days I have not looked upon you as such. I
am glad to have known you all and I know the day will come when I shall
see you all again. Now, if I could see the young lady for just a moment
before--before--"

Hal hastened back to the automobile where Helen Ellison still sat,
wondering at the cause of the trouble, and repeated the dwarf's request.

"Of course I'll go," said the girl, and there was a catch in her voice,
for this was the first time death had come so close to her.

She ran forward and knelt over the little dwarf and took his hand. He
smiled at her.

"I just wanted to tell you good-bye," he said. "I have never seen a young
lady like you before."