“Don’t grow alarmed,” he said, with a short nervous laugh. “The only thing any doctor ever removes from his patient is what is worth the doctor’s while. Present day physicians get away with a lot that is no credit to their profession. The main thing that interests them is not the disease, but the sufferer’s pocketbook. If they can remove the latter, they will keep coaxing the former along.”
“I suppose it is the spirit of the age to want to get all the money one can. Others, besides doctors, do that.”
“Yes. Yes. There are still others who are grossly misjudged simply because they have money, too.”
“Of course there are. But let’s forget 272 both those classes and talk about you. Please, tell me all about your troubles. It hurts me to see you suffering so, and I want to help you. I’ll try very hard.”
“I can’t tell you everything, Beth.”
“Oh! Yes, you can. I’ll be your doctor, and I’ll promise not to remove more of your money than is absolutely necessary for a new frock. Try me this once, and see how well I’ll prescribe.”
“Money is not troubling me, and I’ll see that you get all the new frocks you wish. But I fear you would not understand if I should tell you all.”
“I shall try most awfully hard, Father. You have told me lots of times that for a girl I have excellent ideas about business dealings. Please, tell me. It will at least help you to unburden your mind.”
“But I have told you already that what is troubling me has nothing whatever to do with business. I tried to talk with you the other evening, and you failed to understand. We must not quarrel again. That is harder for me to bear than all else.”