He interrupted his observations, and put his arm round her.
“Vexed?” he said. “I’ll tell you when I’m vexed.”
She smiled at him, dewily, timidly.
“That’s all right, then,” she said.
So her plan was accomplished.
The affair of the staphylococcus did not long detain the doctor, and presently after Major Ames was announced. He had come to consult Dr. Evans with regard to certain gouty symptoms into which the doctor inquired and examined.
“There’s nothing whatever to worry about,” he said, after a very short investigation. “I should recommend you to cut off alcohol entirely, and not eat meat more than once a day. A fortnight’s dieting will probably cure you. And take plenty of exercise. I won’t give you any medicine. There is no use in taking drugs when you can produce the same effect by not taking other things.”
Major Ames fidgeted and frowned a little.
“I was thinking,” he said at length, “of taking myself more thoroughly in hand than that. I’ve never approved of half-measures, and I can’t begin now. If a tooth aches have it out, and be done with it. No fiddling about for me. Now my wife does not want to go away this August, and it seemed to me that it would be a very good opportunity for me to go, as you do, I think, and take a course of waters. Get rid of the tendency, don’t you know, eradicate it. What do you say to that? Harrogate now; I was thinking of Harrogate, if you approved. Harrogate does wonders for gout, does it not?”
The doctor laughed.