. When he had drank what he could, his
eyes twinkled, and he said,

"That's a hair of a dog that has often bitten me."

The wine soon got into his weakened head, and he dropped asleep.

"Another draught when he wakes," said the doctor, "but from a
fresh bottle."

"We'll finish this one to your health in the servants' hall," said honest
John Baker.

Dr. Garner staid there all night, keeping up the patient's strength with
eggs and brandy, and everything, in short, except medicine; and he also
administered champagne, but at much longer intervals.

At one o'clock next day the patient gave a dismal groan; Walter and the
others started up in alarm.

"Good!" said the doctor, calmly; "now I'll go to bed. Call me if there's
any fresh symptom."

At six o'clock old Baker burst in the room: "Sir, sir, he have swore at
me twice. The Lord be praised!"

"Excellent!" said the doctor. "Now tell me what disagrees with him most
after champagne?"

"Why, Green Chartreuse, to be sure," said old Baker.

"Then give him a table-spoonful," said the doctor. "Get me some
hot water."

"Which first?" inquired Baker.

"The patient, to be sure," said Dr. Garner.

Soon after this the doctor stood by his patient's side, and found him
writhing, and, to tell the truth, he was using bad language occasionally,
though he evidently tried not to.

Dr. Garner looked at his watch. "I think there's time to catch the
evening train."

"Why," said Walter, "surely you would not desert us; this is the crisis,
is it not?"

"It's something more than that," said the doctor; "the disease knows its
old place; it has gone back to the foot like a shot; and if you can keep
it there, the patient will live; he's not the sort of patient that
strikes his colors while there's a bastion left to defend."

These words pleased the old Colonel so that he waved a feeble hand above
his head, then groaned most dismally, and ground his teeth to avoid
profanity.

The doctor, with exquisite gentleness, drew the clothes off his feet, and
sent for a lot of fleecy cotton or wool, and warned them all not to touch
the bed, nor even to approach the lower part of it, and then he once more
proposed to leave, and gave his reasons.

"Now, look here, you know, I have done my part, and if I give special
instructions to the nurses, they can do the rest. I'm rather dear, and
why should you waste your money?"

"Dear!" said Walter, warmly; "you're as cheap as dirt, and as good a