." Anstice strove to speak naturally. "Well, you went?"

"Yes, and treated the child. As you know, she is only a kiddie, and the
shock has been as bad as the actual burns, though they are severe
enough."

"Have you been there to-day?"

"No--that's what I came to see you about. I stayed pretty late last
night, and left the child asleep; but now, of course, you will take over
the case. Mrs. Carstairs understood I was only filling your place, you
know."

"Do you think"--Anstice hesitated oddly, and Dr. Willows told himself
the man looked shockingly ill--"do you think Mrs. Carstairs would prefer
you to continue the case?"

"Good Lord, no!" Dr. Willows stared. "Why, what bee have you got in your
bonnet now? I told you Mrs. Carstairs knew I was only representing you
because you were ill, and couldn't come, and I told her I would run over
first thing this morning and see if you were able to take on the case
yourself."

"What did Mrs. Carstairs say to that?"

"She agreed, of course. And if I were you"--Dr. Willows felt vaguely
uncomfortable as he stood there in the morning sunshine--"I'd go round
pretty soon." He looked at his watch ostentatiously. "By Jove, it's
after ten--I must get on. Then you'll go round to Cherry Orchard this
morning?"

"Yes." Anstice accepted the inevitable. "I'll go round almost
immediately. Thanks very much for coming, Willows. I ... I'm grateful to
you."

"Oh, that's all right!" Dr. Willows, relieved by the change in Anstice's
manner, waved his hand airily and returned to his car; and as soon as he
was out of sight Anstice entered his own motor and turned in the
direction of Cherry Orchard.

After all, he said to himself as the car glided swiftly over the hard
white road, there was no reason why Mrs. Carstairs should find anything
suspicious in his inability to visit Cherry Orchard on the previous
evening. Doctors were only human after all--prone to the same ills to
which other men are subject; and although the exigencies of one of the
most exacting professions in the world would seem to inspire a
corresponding endurance in its members, there are moments in which even
the physician must pause in his ministrations to the world, in order, as
it were, to tune up his own bodily frame to meet the demands upon it.

Of course it was possible that Cheniston had divulged to his sister the
true reason of Anstice's non-arrival; but Anstice did not think it
likely; for although there was, and alway