The Argosy — page 87: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

74 A Doctor’s Story. Wilton was sitting out on the lawn with Charlie on a rug close at her feet. She made room for me beside her, and we talked together for a short time of her affairs and of the child. It was not until I had risen to go that I broached the subject of my departure. She looked surprised, alarmed. ‘‘ But, Charlie,” she said ; ‘‘ if he should be ill?” ‘T would not go if he were ill. I will return at once if he should need me,” I answered earnestly. ‘‘ But is he not the picture of health? Why, he seems exempt from every childish trouble.” [ told her my relative’s address, knowing she only cared to have it in case she needed me for her boy; then I lifted the child in my arms and kissed him. ‘‘ Good-bye, little man!” I said cheerfully. He was a splendid little fellow, of whom his mother might well be proud ; he resembled his father, too, and was growing more like him every day. I was about to set the child down, but something—some feeling I cannot define—impelled me to hold him closer ; to look into his face —his eyes—more scrutinisingly than I had ever done. And so looking, I shuddered at the thought that then assailed me. Great powers! Could fate be so cruel? Had heaven no pity for this poor mother who, so young, had already surely borne enough of sorrow? I put the boy down quickly and turned away. * Perhaps—perhaps after all I may have been mistaken! I reached London, and Dr. B——’s residence that evening, and my worthy relative quickly explained the object of his summons. He wished me to undertake, with his supervision, a case requiring the utmost care and consideration; one which rendered it necessary that a medical man should reside for a time beneath the same roof as his patient, and be with him night and day. This patient was Lord Welbury, a self-made man so far as his immense wealth was concerned; but he came of an ancient and honourable race. I accepted the munificent conditions offered, and within a couple of hours of my arrival in town was driven to Lord Welbury’s house in Belgravia, and entered upon the duties of my post. For some days and nights my responsibilities absorbed all my attention. The life of the sick man hung on a thread, my medical capacity was taxed to its utmost; I knew not, nor cared I, for the time being, what went on outside that chamber. The crisis passed, my patient began rapidly to recover. ‘The first day that he was able to sit up in his room he asked me a startling question. He said: ‘ Doctor, am I sane?” ‘Your mind has never been affected,” I answered unhesitatingly. ‘Your lordship is as sane as I am.” ‘Good. Therefore a will made by me now could not be invalid ?” ‘Most certainly not on the ground of incompetency.” “Then my will must be made to-morrow or next day at latest. COMMIECMOOOKS Conn