the deepest distress.

"Oh, doctor, he exclaimed can't you do something for my wife? She'll
die if you don't. Oh, do go to her again!"

"Has any change taken place since we left?" asked Dr. Hillhouse, with a
professional calmness it required some effort to assume.

"She is in great distress, moaning and sobbing and crying out as if in
dreadful pain, and she doesn't know anything you say to her."

The two physicians looked at each other with sober faces.

"You'd better see her again," said Dr. Hillhouse, speaking to his
assistant.

"No, no, no, Dr. Hillhouse! You must see her yourself. It is a case of
life and death!" cried out the distracted husband. "The responsibility
is yours, and I must and will hold you to that responsibility. I placed
my wife in your charge, not in that of this or any other man."

Mr. Ridley was beside himself with fear. At first Dr. Hillhouse felt
like resenting this assault, but he controlled himself.

"You forget yourself, Mr. Ridley," he answered in a repressed voice.
"We do not help things by passion or intemperance of language. I saw
your wife less than half an hour ago, and after giving the utmost care
to the examination of her case made the best prescription in my power.
There has not been time for the medicines to act yet. I know how
troubled you must feel, and can pardon your not very courteous bearing;
but there are some things that can and some things that cannot be done.
There are good reasons why it will not be right for me to return to
your house now--reasons affecting the safety, it may be the life, of
another, while my not going back with you can make no difference to
Mrs. Ridley. Dr. Angier is fully competent to report on her condition,
and I can decide on any change of treatment that may be required as
certainly as if I saw her myself. Should he find any change for the
worse, I will consider it my duty to see her without delay."

"Don't neglect her, for God's sake, doctor!" answered Mr. Ridley, in a
pleading voice. His manner had grown subdued. "Forgive my seeming
discourtesy. I am wellnigh distracted. If I lose her, I lose my hold on
everything. Oh, doctor, you cannot know how much is at stake. God help
me if she dies!"

"My dear sir, nothing in our power to do shall be neglected. Dr. Angier
will go back with you; and if, on his return, I am satisfied that there
is a change for the worse, I will see your wife without a moment's
delay. And in the mean time, if you wi