stranger to the laundry for some considerable time. His feet were
encased in a pair of gaily coloured carpet slippers.

On seeing Judge Bolitho he assumed quite a professional air. "What can
I do for you, my dear sir?" he said. "You don't look very well."

"No, I am far from well," replied the judge.

"Ay, I thought so. You're a stranger in these parts, I reckon?"

"I am not a Brunford man," replied the judge; "but I happened to be
here, and, hearing about many of your wonderful cures, thought I would
call and see you."

"Ay," replied Ezekiel. "I know a good deal more about doctorin' than
half of these chaps with a lot of letters to their names; but the
Government has made it very hard on us, and we can't do what we would."

"I see," replied the judge. "But I hear you have a fairly extensive
practice, all the same."

"And no wonder," replied Ezekiel. "I cure cases which the doctors give
up, and I don't charge a quarter as much as they do. Just think on
't--only sixpence for a bottle of medicine and a shilling a visit!"

"But what do you do in the case of a fatal illness?" asked the judge.

"That's where the hardness comes in," replied Ezekiel. "Then the poor
people have to get a fully qualified man for the certificate. But
you'll noan come about that, I reckon? You've come about yoursen?"

"No," said the judge. "I've come to inquire into your rights to
practise medicine!"

"What do you mean? You're noan one of these inspectors, are you? I
call this a sort of snake-in-the-grass proceeding! It's noan fair to
come in like one ill, and then pounce upon a chap!"

Ezekiel gave another look at the judge, and then decided that he had
better be civil. He realised that the man before him was not one who
could be bullied.

"Look here, maaster," he said, "I never do owt agin law, and although,
as you say, I've attended a lot of people, I've never been had before
the beaks. Whenever a patient of mine gets near the danger line I
always insist upon a fully qualified doctor being sent for. I hope
you'll noan be hard on me."

"That depends," replied the judge. "The truth of it is, Mr. Ashworth,
I've heard strange rumours about you, and, while I do not wish to take
any harsh measure, I want a proper understanding. You often treat
patients without ever having seen them, I'm told?"

"But never in a way as can do them any harm," replied Ezekiel. "When
people come and describe symptoms, I send medicines