it goes; I love a
lawsuit, and a thousand or two won't hurt me. And now I came round here
to ask you to supper, and I think you'll be better drinking port with
Stephen Strong than hell-fire with another tradesman, whom I won't name.
Before we go, however, just give me your word of honour that there shall
be no more of this sort of thing," and he pointed to the broken glass,
"now or afterwards, as I don't want to be mixed up with inquests."

"I promise," I answered presently.

"That will do," said Mr. Strong, as he led the way to the door.

I need not dwell upon the further events of that evening, inasmuch
as they were almost a repetition of those of the previous night.
Mrs. Strong received me kindly in her faded fashion, and, after a few
inquiries about the trial, sought refuge in her favourite topic of the
lost Tribes. Indeed, I remember that she was rather put out because I
had not already mastered the books and pamphlets which she had given
me. In the end, notwithstanding the weariness of her feeble folly, I
returned home in much better spirits.

For the next month or two nothing of note happened to me, except indeed
that the action for damages brought against me by Sir Thomas Colford
was suddenly withdrawn. Although it never transpired publicly, I believe
that the true reason of this collapse was that Sir John Bell flatly
refused to appear in court and submit himself to further examination,
and without Sir John Bell there was no evidence against me. But the
withdrawal of this action did not help me professionally; indeed
the fine practice which I was beginning to get together had entirely
vanished away. Not a creature came near my consulting-room, and scarcely
a creature called me in. The prosecution and the verdict of the jury,
amounting as it did to one of "not proven" only, had ruined me. By now
my small resources were almost exhausted, and I could see that very
shortly the time would come when I should no longer know where to turn
for bread for myself and my child.

One morning as I was sitting in my consulting-room, moodily reading a
medical textbook for want of something else to do, the front door bell
rang. "A patient at last," I thought to myself with a glow of hope.
I was soon undeceived, however, for the servant opened the door and
announced Mr. Stephen Strong.

"How do you do, doctor?" he said briskly. "You will wonder why I am here
at such an hour. Well, it is on business. I want you to come with m