“What for?” exclaimed Girlie.
“Professional advice,” said the Doctor-in-law blandly.
“What advice?” asked Girlie; “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Didn’t I advise you never to say, ‘I don’t know’?” explained the Doctor-in-law.
“But I didn’t ask you to give me any advice at all,” cried Girlie in dismay.
“Oh! if I waited till people asked me for advice I should never get any clients!” said the Doctor-in-law; “and you might as well give me the other guinea at the same time,” he continued.
“What other guinea? What do you mean?” asked Girlie.
“The guinea for professional attendance when you first arrived here,” said the Doctor-in-law. “I always charge a guinea for that.”
“But I didn’t want you to attend to me,” said Girlie indignantly. “I wish you hadn’t.”
“If I waited till people wanted me to attend to them I should get no patients,” admitted the Doctor-in-law; “so I always attend to people when I think they require it, whether they wish me to do so, or not. I must really insist on the fee, please. Let’s see, that will be three pounds seven altogether, won’t it?” he continued, making a calculation in his pocket-book.