ate?"

Up went Binzer's spirits with a bound. Son and heir, by Jove! He was
glad to have to deal with a man again. And a sane fellow this, who came
across this sort of thing every day of the week.

"That's about the measure of it, Doctor," he answered, smiling and
picking up his hat. "Mother dragged me out of bed this morning with
imperative orders to bring you along."

"Gig will be round in a minute. Drive back with me, won't you?
Extraordinary, sultry day; you're as red as a beetroot already."

Andreas affected to laugh. The doctor had one annoying habit--imagined
he had the right to poke fun at everybody simply because he was a
doctor. "The man's riddled with conceit, like all these professionals,"
Andreas decided.

"What sort of night did Frau Binzer have?" asked the doctor. "Ah, here's
the gig. Tell me on the way up. Sit as near the middle as you can, will
you, Binzer? Your weight tilts it over a bit one side--that's the worst
of you successful business men."

"Two stone heavier than I, if he's a pound," thought Andreas. "The man
may be all right in his profession--but heaven preserve me."

"Off you go, my beauty." Doctor Erb flicked the little brown mare. "Did
your wife get any sleep last night?"

"No; I don't think she did," answered Andreas shortly. "To tell you the
truth, I'm not satisfied that she hasn't a nurse."

"Oh, your mother's worth a dozen nurses," cried the doctor, with immense
gusto. "To tell you the truth, I'm not keen on nurses--too raw--raw as
rump-steak. They wrestle for a baby as though they were wrestling with
Death for the body of Patroclus... Ever seen that picture by an English
artist. Leighton? Wonderful thing--full of sinew!"

"There he goes again," thought Andreas, "airing off his knowledge to
make a fool of me."

"Now your mother--she's firm--she's capable. Does what she's told with
a fund of sympathy. Look at these shops we're passing--they're festering
sores. How on earth this government can tolerate--"

"They're not so bad--sound enough--only want a coat of paint."

The doctor whistled a little tune and flicked the mare again.

"Well, I hope the young shaver won't give his mother too much trouble,"
he said. "Here we are."

A skinny little boy, who had been sliding up and down the back seat of
the gig, sprang out and held the horse's head. Andreas went straight
into the dining-room and left the servant girl to take the doctor
upstairs. He sat down, poured out some cof