ght, he has several times put things in my way.
One day about three weeks ago he came into my consulting room after
breakfast.

"Could you come with me to a consultation?" he asked.

"With pleasure."

"I have my carriage outside."

He told me something of the case as we went. It was a young fellow, an
only son, who had been suffering from nervous symptoms for some time,
and lately from considerable pain in his head. "His people are living
with a patient of mine, General Wainwright," said Porter. "He didn't
like the symptoms, and thought he would have a second opinion."

We came to the house, a great big one, in its own grounds, and had a
preliminary talk with the dark-faced, white-haired Indian soldier who
owns it. He was explaining the responsibility that he felt, the patient
being his nephew, when a lady entered the room. "This is my sister, Mrs.
La Force," said he, "the mother of the gentleman whom you are going to
see."

I recognised her instantly. I had met her before and under curious
circumstances. (Dr. Stark Munro here proceeds to narrate again how he
had met the La Forces, having evidently forgotten that he had already
done so in Letter VI.) When she was introduced I could see that she had
not associated me with the young doctor in the train. I don't wonder,
for I have started a beard, in the hope of making myself look a little
older. She was naturally all anxiety about her son, and we went up with
her (Porter and I) to have a look at him. Poor fellow! he seemed peakier
and more sallow than when I had seen him last. We held our consultation,
came to an agreement about the chronic nature of his complaint, and
finally departed without my reminding Mrs. La Force of our previous
meeting.

Well, there the matter might have ended; but about three days afterwards
who should be shown into my consulting room but Mrs. La Force and her
daughter. I thought the latter looked twice at me, when her mother
introduced her, as if she had some recollection of my face; but she
evidently could not recall where she had seen it, and I said nothing to
help her. They both seemed to be much distressed in mind--indeed,
the tears were brimming over from the girl's eyes, and her lip was
quivering.

"We have come to you, Doctor Munro, in the greatest distress," said Mrs.
La Force; "we should be very glad of your advice."

"You place me in rather a difficult position, Mrs. La Force," said I.
"The fact is, that I look upon you as