nse.

He scarcely noticed when they left the room, but he came to himself
completely when they returned, and Dr. Nicholls announced to him
briskly and almost joyfully that Dr. Berger's ultimatum was an
immediate operation.

"No, you won't," said the patient with sudden vigour. "I have to leave
this afternoon for home on the three-fifteen."

The great man looked down at him. "Young man," he said quietly, and
there was a still strength in his manner that carried conviction, "you
will do as you please of course, but if you don't take my advice and
have that limb attended to immediately, you'll go to your long home,
and not much later than 3.15 either. Yours is a most critical case.
If you refuse you are committing suicide. Now, Doctor Nicholls, I have
just half-an-hour to see your other patients."

He walked out of the room. And Roderick sat up in the bed and stared
after them stupefied. A young house-surgeon, who had been regarding
the patient with eyes holding more than professional interest, came to
his side. He tried to speak cheerfully.

"It's a most unusual thing to operate in such a hurry, but it's better
for a patient, I think. It's all over quickly you know, and no long
weary waiting."

"But my father!" cried Roderick. "My father is critically ill. I've
got to go home! I've got to, I tell you! I can have this
done--later--at home."

The fever flush deepened to a hot crimson. He got to his feet, then
staggered back, dizzy with pain. The young physician laid him on the
bed. "Look here, now, you mustn't get worked up like that, Roderick,"
he said.

Roderick looked up at him. The young man had come into the room with
Dr. Berger, but not till this moment had he noticed him. He stared,
and a light, brighter even than the fever had brought, leaped into his
eyes.

"Wells!" he cried. "Is it Dick Wells?"

"Dick Wells, it is," said the other, smiling, pleased that he had
created such a complete diversion. He took the patient's left hand and
shook it with a cordiality that was not returned.

"I haven't seen you since old 'Varsity days, Rod. And 'pon my word I
didn't know you for a minute. We'll see you through this all right;
don't worry."

Roderick was staring at him in a disconcerting way.

"Where have you been since you graduated?" he asked.

That harsh unsmiling manner was not at all like the Roderick McRae he
had known in college, but the young man laid the change to his fevered
c