se with an easy air of command. "Your cough is quite
sufficient. It is entirely bronchial by the sound. No doubt the
mischief is circumscribed at present, but there is always the danger
that it may spread, so you have done wisely to come to me. A little
judicious treatment will soon set you right. Your waistcoat, please,
but not your shirt. Puff out your chest and say ninety-nine in a deep
voice."

The red-faced man began to laugh. "It's all right, doctor," said he.
"That cough comes from chewing tobacco, and I know it's a very bad
habit. Nine-and-ninepence is what I have to say to you, for I'm the
officer of the gas company, and they have a claim against you for that
on the metre."

Dr. Horace Wilkinson collapsed into his chair. "Then you're not a
patient?" he gasped.

"Never needed a doctor in my life, sir."

"Oh, that's all right." The doctor concealed his disappointment under
an affectation of facetiousness. "You don't look as if you troubled
them much. I don't know what we should do if every one were as robust.
I shall call at the company's offices and pay this small amount."

"If you could make it convenient, sir, now that I am here, it would
save trouble----"

"Oh, certainly!" These eternal little sordid money troubles were more
trying to the doctor than plain living or scanty food. He took out his
purse and slid the contents on to the table. There were two
half-crowns and some pennies. In his drawer he had ten golden
sovereigns. But those were his rent. If he once broke in upon them he
was lost. He would starve first.

"Dear me!" said he, with a smile, as at some strange, unheard-of
incident. "I have run short of small change. I am afraid I shall have
to call upon the company, after all."

"Very well, sir." The inspector rose, and with a practised glance
around, which valued every article in the room, from the two-guinea
carpet to the eight-shilling muslin curtains, he took his departure.

When he had gone Dr. Wilkinson rearranged his room, as was his habit a
dozen times in the day. He laid out his large Quain's Dictionary of
Medicine in the forefront of the table so as to impress the casual
patient that he had ever the best authorities at his elbow. Then he
cleared all the little instruments out of his pocket-case--the
scissors, the forceps, the bistouries, the lancets--and he laid them
all out beside the stethoscope, to make as good a show as possible.
His ledger, day-book, a