AN URGENT CASE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 221, 4 January 1909, Page 5

AN URGENT CASE.

Dr Carson, fresh from his duties as assistant to a busy physician in town, had found the country practice, which h* had lately purchased in rather a stagnant condition. The fact that patients during the last week had hern few and far between mitigated h»s annoyance at hearing the night bell when he was preparing for bed. "Is that the doctor, ptease" A youthful voice reached his cars through the tube. He assented briefly. "Will yoo—will yoo please come round to our hoa|e?" " Who's that" Where do you live?" "I'm Archie IlokJen, and we live at Duffiekt—op pest Hook End and over the bill."

Dr Caxaon suppressed a groan. It was a fear miles* drive.

"It's urgent. 1 suppose?" "Yes. Yes, please." "Very well. I'll be down in a moment."

Grumbling tinder bis breath, be aroused a sleepy servant, anddesended. The ball light shone on a roundfaced boy, who fingered bis bat and looked op doubtfully into the doctor's face. "You'd better come inside and take • seat, my lad. We shan't be able to start for a few minutes."

"You'll go in your carriage, sir?" "Yes, nty man's getting ready now. He'll be as quick as be can, though." The boy's face brightened. "What's the trouble at heme?"

"My—my father, sir. He's ill." "Ah. And what's the matter with bin?"

It's —er—he feels unwell, sir." "Yes, yes. But try to be a little more precise." "He can't go to*teep. He doesn't quite know wlwt it is, bet — Insomnia, eh? Well, well! J ceold have given yoo a draught for him. Really, 1 hardly think there Is any need for me to call to-night., unks;—" "He'* got a headache too, sir a bad headache." added the boy quickly; "and pains." "Where? I mean what kind of paino?" The boy hesitated a moment. "Er—all over him. sir. He can't move hardly, without hurting himself. And he's a bit what you call delirious. And bis throat—** " tfeM"

"Swollen, doctor. And he can't eat much, and " "H'm. A touch of inHttcnxs, very likely. Still, don't you worry, my lad. We'll soon put him right again. Here's a chair for you. I'll just get my overcoat and things," When he re-entered the room the boy was leaning forward: bat, after coughing and blowing bis b«w several times, he pot his handkerchief away and stood op, rather red in the face. "That's right. Cheer op. There! do yon hear the brougham coming round? well Mm be there now."

A surprise awaited him outsidr. On the path lay a large trunk. Th? boy noticed him regarding it. "Had to fetch it from the station, sir. Dodo yoo mind if we take it with us? A man wru carrying tl; but— but I believe he's gone off." He looked round. "Can't see him anywhere."

"Of course. Of course. Jimson, lift this in. Is the mare pretty fresh? That's right. Yoo know the way. I suppose." Though drowsy be tried to chat cheerfully to his young companion: but the boy seemed disinclined for conversation, and Dr Canon was glad enough to lean bock bis eyes. He awoke with a start as the brougham •topped. Finding himself alone, he got out. The house seemed in darkness. Somewhere in the direction of lbs garden be could hear the boy struggling forward with the trunk. The door opened and shut again. Dr Carson, mystified, and more than a llitle annoyed, waited patiently. Two or three minutes passed before a small figure ran down the steps. "Doctor, please—please, bow much do yoo charge?" "Ob, never mind that now. That's of no consequence. Afterwards we can talk about " "Your fee, I mean, sir. Seven-and six, isn't it?"

"Yes, yes, my lad. But first of all—"

"Hot it fat, sir—three half* crowns*." The coins were pressed into bis band. "That's right, eh?" Dr Canon took them mechanically, (toddling'. "Bat your father—l'll see him at once. 1 can come in now, 1 presume?"

"Well, it doesn't— that is, yoo need not —be—he The doctor stiffened.

"I'm very sorry, bat I don't quite—" "He's better. In fact, he's alright again; and—and yoo needn't trouble to see him jost now."

"Better?" Dr Carson choked. "That's it', sir. I think seeing me back's had a freed deal to do with it. ! always cheer him op no end." "Then do you mean to say—am Ito understand that you've brought me •)) this way for nothing?" The boy shook his head as be stepped back warily. "For s*-ven-and-six you mean. Yes, you .-see. air. I - I'm just home from school, and and I missed my right train, and I only had seven and nine, and father -.he'd have been wild, so I couldn't vrry well wake him uj> arid ask him for more, and -welt, don't you see. the least that on*' of the station cabbies would take was half a 90V., JO - "

Dr. Carson's eyed nearly bolted from his head; his cheeks swelled.; a choking noise from his coachman made him stamp and wave his hands wildly. But he could not <pe»k. The noise he made resembled the snort of an angry bull.

"Good-night, sir." called the boy cheerfully, now some yards away in the darknes. "Awfully sorry to have troubled you. but it was such a long way to come with my tuggage."