e-bags across his
arm.

Perhaps sickness is in some sort insanity. At any rate, he no sooner
found himself alone than the desire to see the great Dr. Killmany came
upon him with all the force of insanity; his intention probably being to
go and return within an hour, and keep his little secret to himself.
Perhaps, too, he wished to have it to say at home that he had seen the
great man for himself, and decided against him of his own knowledge.

Dr. Killmany was found without much difficulty; but his rooms were
crowded with patients, and there was no possibility of access to him for
hours.

"It cannot be that so many are deceived," thought Hobert. "I will wait
with the rest." Then came the encouraging hope, "What if I should go
home cured, after all!" He felt almost as if Dr. Shepard had defrauded
him out of two or three days, and talked eagerly with one and another,
as patient after patient came forth from consultation with Dr. Killmany,
all aglow with hope and animation. It was near sunset when his turn
came. He had waited five hours, but it was come at last; and with his
heart in his mouth, and his knees shaking under him, he stood face to
face with the arbitrator of his destiny. There was no smile on the face
of the man, no sweetness in his voice as he said, looking at Hobert from
under scowling brows, "What brings _you_, sir? Tell it, and be brief:
time with me is money."

Then Hobert, catching at a chair to sustain himself, for he was not
asked to sit, explained his condition as well as fright and awkwardness
would permit him to do; going back to the commencement of his disease,
and entering unnecessarily into many particulars, as well as making
superfluous mention of wife and mother. "It isn't with your wife and
mother that I have to deal," interposed Dr. Killmany;--"dear to you, I
dare say, but nothing to me, sir,--nothing at all. I have no time to
devote to your relatives. Open your shirt, sir! there, that'll do! A
mere trifle, sir, but it is well you have come in time."

"Do you mean to say you can cure me?" inquired Hobert, all his heart
a-flutter with the excitement of hope.

"Exactly so. I can remove that difficulty of yours in five minutes, and
have you on your feet again,--operation neglected, death certain within
a year, perhaps sooner. Done with you sir. You now have your choice,
make way!"

Hobert went staggering out of the room, feeling as if the raven of his
dream already had its beak in his he