n they were not in a condition to object. I
had expected, after all the preliminary ceremonies and delays, that
we should have a long skance together. Not so; not at all. The modern
expert in surgery charges as much for remembering your name between
visits as the family doctor used to expect for staying up all night with
you, but he does not waste any time when you are in his presence.

I was about to find that out. And a little later on I was to find out a
lot of other things; in fact, that whole week was of immense educational
value to me.

I presume it was because he stood high in his profession, and was almost
constantly engaged in going into the best society that Doctor Z did not
appear to be the least bit excited over my having picked him out to
look into me. In the most perfunctory manner he shook the hand that has
shaken the hands of Jess Willard, George M. Cohan and Henry Ford, and
bade me be seated in a chair which was drawn up in a strong light, where
he might gaze directly at me as we conversed and so get the full values
of the composition. But if I was a treat for him to look at he concealed
his feelings very effectually.

He certainly had his emotions under splendid control. But then,
of course, you must remember that he probably had traveled about
extensively and was used to sight-seeing.

From this point on everything passed off in a most businesslike manner.
He reached into a filing cabinet and took out an exhibit, which I
recognized as the same one his secretary had filled out in the early
part of the century. So I was already in the card-index class. Then
briefly he looked over the manifest that Doctor X had sent him. It
may not have been a manifest--it may have been an invoice or a bill of
lading. Anyhow I was in the assignee's hands. I could only hope it would
not eventually become necessary to call in a receiver. Then he spoke:

"Yes, yes-yes," he said; "yes-yes-yes! Operation required. Small
matter--hum, hum! Let's see--this is Tuesday? Quite so. Do it Friday!
Friday at"--he glanced toward a scribbled pad of engagement dates at his
elbow--"Friday at seven A. M. No, make it seven-fifteen. Have important
tumor case at seven. St. Germicide's Hospital. You know the place--up on
Umpty-umph Street. Go' day! Miss Whoziz, call next visitor."

And before I realized that practically the whole affair had been settled
I was outside the consultation-room in a small private hall, and the
secretary was tel