town instead of going farther south. I've imposed on you, I'm sorry to
say. I haven't any pain whatever. I was faking."

"Yes," said the doctor, soothingly, "I knew you were, but you are not
well at all, my boy, and my advice to you is to stay right there in bed.
You have appendicitis symptoms in spite of there being no pain, and you
might do yourself no end of harm by getting up now. I wouldn't let any
man go out of doors after taking that belladonna for the world. It would
be suicidal."

"But, Doctor, I'm not sick, I tell you; I feel out of sight," and Van
threw off the clothes and was about to spring out, plaster and all.

Dr. Mead thought it time to act.

"Get back in there," he said, quietly but firmly. He was a man of
powerful physique and Van thought it best to obey until he could reason
with him.

"I know what I am talking about, young man," he went on, "and you must
listen to me. I want you to stay in bed."

This was too much.

"I'll be hanged if I will!" shouted the patient, preparing to rise.

"Keep covered up!" ordered the doctor. He had a big, deep voice. He
stood a little way off, with his forefinger pointed at the student,
sighting over it with a cold, gray eye. Something in his manner began to
frighten Van. He shivered under the bedclothes. A hideous story which he
had read about a maniac barber came into his mind with sickening effect.
The man's whole appearance, all his actions, his eager grasping of the
appendicitis theory, proclaimed insanity. He meant to operate on him,
whether or no! There were the surgical instruments in that black bag on
the bureau, and he was shut up in the room with the whole crazy outfit!
He would have given his soul to be in Pomona with the club.

"All right, Doctor," he said weakly, sliding a little farther down into
the bed, "I'll do just as you say. Only I wish you'd ring and see if any
mail has come for me."

The boy who answered the doctor's call was an athletic young fellow. Van
thought that between them they could manage the maniac; so he sprang
out crying, "Quick! This man is crazy. Help me get him down!"

To his surprise the boy seized him and deposited him back in bed.

"What in thunder is the matter with you people?" shouted Van. "I'm not
going to stay here with that man when there's nothing the matter with
me!"

"There, there," coaxed the boy, "you're all right, sir; try to go to
sleep, can't you?"

Then Van turned over to the wall and wept salt