Carstares’ heart melted, and he managed to smile.

“I’m monstrous glad to see you, Jim,” he said.

“You⁠—you can’t mean that, sir! ’Twas I left your pistols unloaded.”

“I know. Damned careless of you, but it’s the sort of thing I should do myself, after all.”

Jim advanced to the bedside.

“Do you mean you forgive me, sir?”

“Why, of course! I could not have fired on my best friend in any case.”

“No, sir, but that don’t make it any better.”

“It doesn’t, of course, and I was rather annoyed at the time⁠—Oh, devil take you, Jim, don’t look at me like that! I’m not dead yet!”