"O, certainly," replied the physician. "You'll find no wounds on my patient, and I earnestly beg you to avoid exciting him more than is absolutely necessary. You see, in his condition, any undue excitement—"
"O, I'll be very careful, Doctor, very careful, indeed."
"Thank you. It is very good of you. You see, as I was saying, in his condition, any undue excitement—"
"O, yes, I know all about that. You may trust me to be careful."
"Again thank you. Come, Bob," looking at his watch, and addressing Baillie, who was sitting by, "we must be going. I've half a dozen patients waiting for me."
Baillie rose, nerving himself for the effort, bowed to the lieutenant, and walked out of the house. A minute later, muffled to the ears in furs, the two men were speeding over the snow, with Sam clinging on behind, and playing the part of "doctah's man."
"Here," said the physician, handing Baillie a flask, "take a stiff swig of that. You must keep up your strength." Then after he had replaced the flask in his overcoat pocket, he chuckled:
"That was very neatly done—to have you walk away in that fashion from under the very nose of the man who was looking for you."
Sam echoed the chuckle, and Baillie said:
"I hope your patient will suffer no harm from all this!"