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treet； and he had passed soon after； recognised him； and brought him home： 〃I have paid the men； sir； I wouldn't let them ask the ladies at such a time。〃
〃Oh； thank you！ thank you； Skinner！ I will repay you； it is me you have obliged。〃 And Alfred ran off with the words in his mouth。
Skinner looked after him and muttered： 〃I forgot _him。_ It is a nice mess。 Wish I was out of it。〃 And he went back； hanging his head； to Alfred's father。
Mr。 Osmond met him。 Skinner turned and saw him enter the villa。
Mr。 Osmond came softly into the room； examined Dodd's eye； felt his pulse； and said he must be bled at once。
Mrs。 Dodd was averse to this。 〃Oh； let us try everything else first；〃 said she。 But Osmond told her there was no other remedy： 〃All the functions we rely on in the exhibition of medicines are suspended。〃
Dr。 Short now drove up； and was ushered in。
Mrs。 Dodd asked him imploringly whether it was necessary to bleed。 But Dr。 Short knew his business too well to be entrapped into an independent opinion where a surgeon had been before him。 He drew Mr。 Osmond apart； and inquired what he had recommended： this ascertained； he turned to Mrs。 Dodd and said； 〃I advise venesection or cupping。〃
〃Oh； Dr。 Short； pray have pity and order something less terrible。 Dr。 Sampson is so averse to bleeding。〃
〃Sampson？ Sampson？ never heard of him。〃
〃It is the chronothermal man；〃 said Osmond。
〃Oh； ah！ but this is too serious a case to be quacked。 Coma with stertor； and a full； bounding pulse； indicates liberal bloodletting。 I would try venesection； then cup； if necessary； or leech the temple。 I need not say； sir； calomel must complete the cure。 The case is simple； and； at present； surgical： I leave it in competent hands。〃 And he retired； leaving the inferior practitioner well pleased with him and with himself； no insignificant part of a physicians art。
When he was gone； Mr。 Osmond told Mrs。 Dodd that however crotchety Dr。 Sampson might be； he was an able man； and had very properly resisted the indiscriminate use of the lancet： the profession owed him much。 〃But in apoplexy the leech and the lancet are still our sheet…anchor。〃
Mrs。 Dodd utter a faint shriek： 〃Apoplexy！ Oh； David！ Oh； my darling； have you come home for this？〃
Osmond assured her apoplexy was not necessarily fatal； provided the cerebral blood…vessels were relieved in time by depletion。
The fixed eye and terrible stertorous breathing on the one hand； and the promise of relief on the other； overpowered Mrs。 Dodd's reluctance。 She sent Julia out of the room on a pretext； and then consented with tears to David's being bled。 But she would not yield to leave the room。 No； this tender woman nerved herself to see her husband's blood flow； sooner than risk his being bled too much by the hard hand of custom。 Let the peevish fools； who make their own troubles in love； compare their slight and merited pangs with this： she was his true lover and his wife； yet there she stood with eye horror…stricken yet unflinching； and saw the stab of the little lancet； and felt it deeper than she would a javelin through her own body； and watched the blood run that was dearer to her than her own。
At the first prick of the lancet David shivered； and； as the blood escaped； his eye unfixed； and the pupils contracted and dilated； and once he sighed。 〃Good sign that！〃 said Osmond。
〃Oh； that is enough； sir；〃 said Mrs。 Dodd： 〃we shall faint if you take any more。
Osmond closed the vein； observing that a local bleeding would do the rest。 When he had staunched the blood； Mrs。 Dodd sank half fainting in her chair。 By some marvellous sympathy it was she who had been bled； and whose vein was now closed。 Osmond sprinkled water on her face； she thanked him； and said sweetly； 〃You see I could not have lost any more。〃
When it was over she came to tell Julia； she found her sitting on the stairs crying and pale as marble。 She suspected。 And there was Alfred hanging over her； and in agony at her grief： out came his love for her in words and accents unmistakable； and this in Osmond's hearing and the maid's。
〃Oh； hush！ hush！〃 cried poor Mrs。 Dodd； and her face was seen to burn through her tears。
And this was the happy； quiet； little villa of my opening chapters。
Ah！ Richard Hardie！ Richard Hardie！
The patient was cupped on the nape of the neck by Mr。 Osmond； and； on the glasses drawing； showed signs of consciousness； and the breathing was relieved。 These favourable symptoms were neither diminished nor increased by the subsequent application of the cupping needles。
〃We have turned the corner。〃 said Mr。 Osmond cheerfully。
Rap！ rap！ rap！ came a telegraphic message from Dr。 Sampson； and was brought up to the sick…room。
〃Out visiting patients when yours came。 In apoplexy with a red face and stertorous breathing； put the feet in mustard bath and dash much cold water on the head from above。 On revival give emetic： cure with sulphate of quinine。 In apoplexy with a white face； treat as for a simple faint： here emetic dangerous。 In neither apoplexy bleed。 Coming down by train。〃
This message added to Mrs。 Dodd's alarm； the whole treatment varied so far from what had been done。 She faltered her misgivings。 Osmond reassured her。 〃Not bleed in apoplexy！〃 said he superciliously； 〃why； it is the universal practice。 Judge for yourself。 You see the improvement。〃
Mrs。 Dodd admitted it。
〃Then as to the cold water；〃 said Osmond； 〃I would hardly advise so rough a remedy。 And he is going on so well。 But you can send for ice； and meantime give me a good…sized stocking。〃
He cut and fitted it adroitly to the patient's head； then drenched it with eau…de…Cologne； and soon the head began to steam。
By…and…bye； David muttered a few incoherent words； and the anxious watchers thanked God aloud for them。
At length Mr。 Osmond took leave with a cheerful countenance； and left them all grateful to him； and with a high opinion of his judgment and skill； especially Julia。 She said Dr。 Sampson was very amusing to talk to； but she should be sorry to trust to that rash； reckless； boisterous man in time of danger。
About two in the morning a fly drove rapidly up to the villa； and Sampson got out。
He found David pale and muttering； and his wife and children hanging over him in deep distress。
He shook hands with them in silence； and eyed the patient keenly。 He took the nightcap off； removed the pillows； lowered his head； and said quietly； 〃This is the cold fit come on： we must not shut our eyes on the pashint。 Why； what is this？ he has been cupped！〃 And Sampson changed colour and his countenance fell。
Mrs。 Dodd saw and began to tremble。 〃I could not hear from you； and Dr。 Short and Mr。 Osmond felt quite sure： and he seems better。 Oh； Dr。 Sampson； why were you not here？ We have bled him as well。 Oh； don't； don't； don't say it was wrong！ He would have died； they said so。 Oh； David！ David！ your wife has killed you。〃 And she knelt and kissed his hand and implored his pardon； insensible。
Julia clung sobbing to her mother； in a vain attempt to comfort her。
Sampson groaned。
〃No； no；〃 said he： 〃don't go on so； my poor soul； you did all for the best； and now we must make the best