n
in the Navy. I served in that Alexandria affair, under Charlie Beresford.

"Well, as I was saying, . . . Gully came into my surgery that day,
raving like a madman. He's a big, powerful devil, as you know. I'll
confess I was a bit dubious about him--watched him pretty close for a few
minutes, for he acted as if he might start running amok. 'I can't
sleep!' he kept yelling at me, 'I can't sleep, I tell you! . . . That
dope you're giving me's no good. . . . Christ Almighty! give me a shot
of cocaine, Cox, or morphine, and get me a supply of the stuff and a
needle, will you? I'll pay you any amount!'

"Naturally, I refused, I'm not the man to go laying myself open to
anything like that. Well! Good God! The next minute the man came for
me like a lunatic--clutching out at me with those great hands of his and
with the most murderous expression on his face you can imagine. I backed
away to the medicine cabinet and caught hold of a pestle and told him I'd
brain him with it if he touched me. I threatened I'd lay an information
against him for assault, and that seemed to quiet him down. He began to
expostulate then, and eventually broke down and apologised to me--in the
most abject fashion. Begged me to overlook his loss of control, and all
that. Of course I let up on him then. A local scandal between two men
in our position wouldn't do at all. I gave him a d----d good calling
down, though, and finally advised him to go away somewhere for a complete
rest and change. But he wouldn't agree to that--seemed worried over his
ranch. Said he'd worked up a pretty good outfit and couldn't think of
leaving his stock in somebody else's hands at this time of the
year--couldn't afford it in fact. Anyway--that's his look-out. But, as
a matter of fact, if that man doesn't take my advice, why . . . he's
going to collapse. I know the symptoms only too well. That's the curse
of men living alone on these homesteads--brooding, and worrying their
heads off. It seems to get them all eventually in--"

Breaking off abruptly he glanced at his watch. "Getting late!" he
ejaculated, jumping up, "I must be getting on to that case."

"Docthor!" said Slavin, reflectively, "'tis a shtrange story ye've been
tellin' us. Ye'll be comin' back this way, I suppose--lather in th' day?"

The physician nodded.

"I'd like fur ye tu dhrop in agin, thin," continued the sergeant slowly,
"if ye have toime? There's a little matther I wud like