“Indeed no, Mr Elthorne—” she began.
“Sit down,” he cried imperiously, and she quietly obeyed.
“Now go on, Neil.”
“Of course I have studied your case very hard,” said the son, “and I have certain ideas that I should like to test. I believe they would strengthen you, but I will not do anything without getting my opinions endorsed by a man of greater experience.”
“Humph! That’s sensible; eh, nurse?”
She bowed gravely.
“So I wrote to Sir Denton at length, telling him what I had arrived at, and asking him to come down the first free day he had, or, I should say, the first time he had a few hours, to see you, and give me his advice.”
“Is that all?” said Mr Elthorne sharply.
“Everything, father.”
“Humph! Well, that’s right, my boy, quite right. Don’t experiment upon me,” he said, with a painful laugh. “After fighting through all this I can’t afford to go backward. Keep the experiment for some poor hospital patient.”