king to me, what? Be an explicit little general
practitioner, or we shall quarrel, after all, and go home different
ways."

"Well, look here! You know Bailey, the young man that drives me round
in London?"

"Yes. How does he come in?"

"Why, just this way; I've known the youth for years, and the other
day if it doesn't turn out that he's been married ever so long! And
when I taxed him with needless secrecy and mistrust of an old friend,
what does the young humbug say? 'The fact is, sir, I hadn't the cheek
to tell you.' Well, _I_ was like that. I hadn't the cheek."

"At any rate, you have the grace to call him a young humbug. I'm glad
you're repentant, Dr. Conrad."

"Come--I say, now--Sally! That's not fair."

"What's not fair?"

"Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. You called me 'Dr.
Conrad.'"

"We-ell, I don't see anything in _that_. Of course, it's quite a
different thing--you and me."

"Very well, then. I shall say Miss Sally. Miss Sally!"

Here was Sally's opportunity, clear enough. She had never had a
chance till now of bringing back the mysterious young lady of the
jetty-interview into court, and examining her. She felt quite sure of
herself and her powers of conducting the case--and she was mistaken.
She knew nothing of the traps and pitfalls that were gaping for her.
Her opening statement went easily though; it was all prepared.

"Don't you see, Dr. Conrad dear, the cases are quite different? When
you're married, your wife will call _me_ Sally, of course. But ...
well, if I had a husband, you know, _he_ would call _you_ Dr. Vereker.
Sure to!" Sally felt satisfied with the sound of her voice. But the
doctor said never a word, and his face was grave. She would have to
go on, unassisted, and she had invented nothing to say, so far. So
a wavering crept in--nothing in itself at first, apart from her
consciousness of it. "Besides, though, of course _she_ would call _me_
Sally, she mightn't quite--not altogether, you know--I mean, she might
think it...." But ambushes revealed themselves in every hedge, ready
to break out if she ended this sentence. Dr. Conrad made completion
unnecessary.

"Whom do you mean by _she_, Sally?"

"Why, of course! Who could I mean but the girl you told me about that
you think wouldn't agree with your mother?"

"I thought so. See what a mess I made of it! No, Sally, there's no
such person. Now I shall have to speak the truth, and then I shall
have to go away from