n
his father standing in the doorway waving him farewell, the sunlight on
his face and that gallant, anguished attempt at a smile! Roderick
groaned aloud as he remembered. He took up the telegram again,
striving to extract from its cruelly brief words some inkling of what
had preceded it, some hope for the future.

A second tap at the door sent him to open it with a bound. Before him
stood a professional looking man, well-dressed and well-groomed, with a
small leather bag.

"Are you my patient?" he asked briskly.

"Patient?" Roderick stared at him stupidly.

"Yes; Mr. McRae, I believe? I am Doctor Nicholls."

"Oh," said Roderick. "I had forgotten all about it. Yes, come in."
He stepped back and the physician eyed him curiously. He looked
desperately ill, sure enough.

Roderick answered briefly and absently all the doctor's questions.
Beside this awful thing which threatened him, his arm seemed so
trivial, that he was impatient at the attention he was compelled to
give it. Evidently the physician was of another opinion as to its
importance. His face was imperturbable, but after a careful
examination he said very gravely:

"You'll have to have this attended to immediately, Mr. McRae.
Immediately. It's a case, if my judgment is correct, that has been
delayed much too long already. Could you come to the hospital--this
morning?"'

"I have to leave here on the three-fifteen this afternoon," said
Roderick. "I have just received a telegram that my father is very
ill--I can't have anything done to-day."

"Ah, quite sad indeed. Not serious I hope?"

"I don't know," said Roderick dully.

"I must urge you especially to come to-day. We have Dr. Berger here,
from New York. He is going to the congress at Halifax. You have heard
of him, of course. He is coming to see some patients of mine this
morning, and I should like him to see you too. Indeed, I feel I must
urge you, Mr. McRae. You are trifling with your health, perhaps your
life," he went on, puzzled by Roderick's indifference. "It is
imperative that something be done at once. How about coming with me
now? It leaves plenty of time for your train."

Roderick considered a moment. He could not meet Mr. Graham now in any
case. He must leave a message for him that he had been called back to
Algonquin and telegraph home for more specific news. That was all he
could do until train time, so he decided he might as well obey the
doctor.

When he