d him to a seat. Dr. Wilkinson planted himself behind his desk,
and, placing his finger-tips together, he gazed with some apprehension
at his companion. What was the matter with the man? He seemed very
red in the face. Some of his old professors would have diagnosed his
case by now, and would have electrified the patient by describing his
own symptoms before he had said a word about them. Dr. Horace
Wilkinson racked his brains for some clue, but Nature had fashioned him
as a plodder--a very reliable plodder and nothing more. He could think
of nothing save that the visitor's watch-chain had a very brassy
appearance, with a corollary to the effect that he would be lucky if he
got half-a-crown out of him. Still, even half-a-crown was something in
those early days of struggle.

Whilst the doctor had been running his eyes over the stranger, the
latter had been plunging his hands into pocket after pocket of his
heavy coat. The heat of the weather, his dress, and this exercise of
pocket-rummaging had all combined to still further redden his face,
which had changed from brick to beet, with a gloss of moisture on his
brow. This extreme ruddiness brought a clue at last to the observant
doctor. Surely it was not to be attained without alcohol. In alcohol
lay the secret of this man's trouble. Some little delicacy was needed,
however, in showing him that he had read his case aright--that at a
glance he had penetrated to the inmost sources of his ailments.

"It's very hot," observed the stranger, mopping his forehead.

"Yes, it is weather which tempts one to drink rather more beer than is
good for one," answered Dr. Horace Wilkinson, looking very knowingly at
his companion from over his finger-tips.

"Dear, dear, you shouldn't do that."

"I! I never touch beer."

"Neither do I. I've been an abstainer for twenty years."

This was depressing. Dr. Wilkinson blushed until he was nearly as red
as the other. "May I ask what I can do for you?" he asked, picking up
his stethoscope and tapping it gently against his thumb-nail.

"Yes, I was just going to tell you. I heard of your coming, but I
couldn't get round before----" He broke into a nervous little cough.

"Yes?" said the doctor encouragingly.

"I should have been here three weeks ago, but you know how these things
get put off." He coughed again behind his large red hand.

"I do not think that you need say anything more," said the doctor,
taking over the ca