tive he went directly
towards the study where John said the man was waiting. But Mr. Booley was
beginning to suspect that the doctor was not coming to speak with him as
the squire had promised, and after hesitating for a few moments followed
John into the library, determining to manage matters himself. As he
opened the door he met Mr. Ambrose coming towards him, and at the same
moment Mr. Juxon and Doctor Longstreet entered from the opposite end of
the long room. The cheerful and active physician was talking in a rather
excited tone.

"My dear sir," said he, "I cannot pretend to say that the man will or
will not recover. I must see him again. Things look quite differently by
daylight, and six or seven hours may make all the change in the world. To
say that he can be moved to-day or even to-morrow, is absurd. I will
stake my reputation as a practitioner--Hulloa!"

The exclamation was elicited by Mr. Booley, who had pushed past Mr.
Ambrose and stood confronting the doctor with a look which was intended
to express a combination of sarcasm, superior cunning and authority.

"This is Mr. Booley," explained the squire. "Doctor Longstreet will tell
you what he has been telling me," he added turning to the detective.

"I must see this man instantly," said the latter somewhat roughly. "I
believe I am being trifled with, and I will not submit to it. No, sir, I
will not be trifled with, I assure you! I must see this man at once. It
is absolutely necessary to identify him."

"And I say," said Doctor Longstreet with equal firmness, "that I must see
him first, in order to judge whether you can see him or not--"

"It is for me to judge of that," returned Mr. Booley, with more haste
than logic.

"After you have seen him, you cannot judge whether you ought to see him
or not," retorted Doctor Longstreet growing red in the face. The
detective attempted to push past him. At this moment John Short hastily
left the room and fled upstairs to warn Mrs. Ambrose of what was
happening.

"Really," said Mr. Ambrose, making a vain attempt to stop the course of
events, "this is very unwarrantable."

"Unwarrantable!" cried Mr. Booley. "Unwarrantable, indeed! I have the
warrant in my pocket. Mr. Juxon, sir, I fear I must insist."

"Permit me," said Mr. Juxon, planting his square and sturdy form between
the door and the detective. "You may certainly insist, but you must begin
by listening to reason."

Charles Juxon had been accustomed to com