My system says that your
pipe and, perhaps your book, are bad--sinful. I have nothing to do with
it. I only obey and draw my salary."
"Oh, well," said Harry, soothingly, "there is the old Doctor's remedy.
It's probably better on the whole."
"I tried that the other day," Dan growled.
"Worked, didn't it?"
Dan grinned in spite of himself. "At first the effects seemed to be very
beneficial, but later I found that it was, er--somewhat irritating, and
that it slightly aggravated the complaint."
The doctor was smiling now. "Suppose you try a little physical exercise
occasionally--working in the garden or--"
Dan threw up his hands with a tragic gesture. "Suicide!" he almost
shouted.
Then they both lay back in their chairs and fairly howled with laughter.
"Whew! That does a fellow good!" gasped Dan.
"I guess we have arrived," said Harry, with a final chuckle. "Thought we
were way off the track once or twice; but I have located your liver
trouble, all right. When did they call?"
"This afternoon. Did you know?"
The doctor nodded. "I have been expecting it for several days. I guess
you were about the only person in Corinth who wasn't."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"If I can avoid it, I never tell a patient of a coming operation until
it's time to operate; then it's all over before they can get nervous."
Dan shuddered--the laugh was all out of him now. "I have certainly been
on the table this afternoon," he said.
Pages:
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189