The Keeper of the Door

ek later, waylaying Max after breakfast on his way to the surgery with the air of on

should never be used unprofessionally without express permission from himself or his assistant. Naturally Olga resented having to

o go alone, I suppos

often vainly attempted to persuade him to rescind. Under these

that has to do w

With me, you mean. Very likely not. But there is a remote conn

the way," said Olga,

y pa

," she returned, almos

d Max. "Well, that doesn't hel

he boys," Olga spoke w

oing with me

lmost imperceptibly. "In that cas

rd!" excl

e from my point of view. If you can't take

unced this decision, but quite

o be trusted to take care of her?" she asked him scornfull

ith the words. "What's the trouble now? If you are requ

nce. "Nick, it's really

mountains out

d Nick. "I shouldn't harass the man if I

expect Mitchel has too, then,

car or Mitchel. It chanced to be a

rained herself with annoyance. "But of course y

e point!" o

t absurd that Violet and I shouldn't motor over to Brethaven withou

ax. "If your father were here

, and glanced again at

a. "It's only Violet who is too precious to go motoring without a fu

your mind what you are going to do. I'm sorry you've been dragged into the discus

comprehension behind his flickering eyelids. "It w

eep reproach in Olga's

d with dr

molehills now? I would escort you myself if I hadn't got to attend this committee meeting in

a, as Max disappeared into the surgery. "He's qu

oung man myself," said Nick. "He would

I'm not

x," said Nick, squeezing her affe

or goodness' sake, Nick, don't start liking him! But I'm su

t?" sai

know you don't! He's so

what he was up to l

ll me!"

had swallowed a pin. When he got there, he found it was diphtheria at its most advanced stage. The child was at death's door. He

aid Olga, turning very

It is to be taken to

have an effect on

knows," s

o breakfast," she said. "How did you

om temporarily uninhabitable. Naturally I lodged a complaint, and finally got at the whole story. By the way, he said I wasn' to tell you; but I told him I probably should. That's onl

ine of him," she said. "I wish I'd known before I was so cr

if you feel so inclined, though I suppose the

o far as that!" she exclaimed reproach

zzical. "It was the action of a fool-but a br

shoulder. "Don't poke fun at me! It isn't fa

getting magnanim

One must be that," said Olga, whose honest

horrid,' I think, is the proper term, isn't it? It's the most comprehensive word in the w

ly, N

rdon my unparliam

never been-that!

opinion!" l

she only flushed a littl

ing for the cottage-hospital, discovered the lining thereof to be pulled away in order

He smoothed out the crumpled morsel with his customary deliberation, drawing his shaggy

to you lately. Please don't take any notice of thi

lg

r reading it, staring fixedly at the paper, and when at length he looked up his face wore a guarded expression with which many of his patients were

lway-station. Violet was seated beside her, and the old servant Mitchel sat sourly behind them. He had

s not long before Violet had extracted from her an account of the discussion that had resulted in Mitchel's unwilling presence. She was not very anxious

e!" she said "I discovered that the first n

sure of that

iced it? My dear child

een the way h

w she did not think it meant that

r. I'm not going to have him. He's much too anatomical for me, too busines

Olga. "But why?

picture him making you endure any amount of torture just to enable him to say he had cured you? Oh yes, he's diabolically clever, but he is cruel

llous as that," Olga said, but e

to doctor you," rejoine

ht of him. We'll

week at "The Ship Inn," whither they were bound that morning. She had nur

ring her recent troubles. She greeted them both hospitably, though not without a hint of reproach,

You ought to 'a' seen 'em a-layin' on pore mother. I made sure as you'd want to. And you t

Dr. Wyndham's fault that we didn't. I'm staying there, you know, and

ack magic,' she says. 'I've a-begged 'im to let me die easy, but Lor' bless yer, 'e don't take no more notice than if 'e were the Spink,'" Mrs. Briggs glanced over her shoulde

ed both girl

Her eyes shone craftily as she returned. She took up her r

started screamin' and writhin.' Oh, lor, Miss Olga, you never see the like. It was just as if she were bein' tortured over a slow fire. Well, Briggs, 'e was fair unmanned by it. 'For 'eaven's sake,' 'e says, 'give 'er the medicine as the doctor left, and I'll go and tell 'im as you've done it.' And off 'e goes, though it was gettin' latish and no one to attend to the bar. Well, I fetched the medicine, and I took it to 'er, and I says, ''Ere you are, mother,' I says, 'you 'ave a dose o' this. It'll kill the pain.' I gave it 'er in a teaspoon like 'e said, and she took it. But there, it didn't make no more difference to 'er than if it 'ad been water.'" Mrs. Briggs heaved a sob, and picked up a corner of her apron to wipe her eyes. "I told 'er as I dursn't give 'er any more because of what the doctor 'ad said, and I said as 'ow Briggs 'ad gone for him, and 'e'd know 'ow to quiet 'er when 'e came. But the very thought of 'im seemed to drive 'er crazy. And then she said that about the black magic, and 'ow 'e'd never be persuaded to let 'er die easy. And then she says to me. 'But you didn't shake the bottle,' she says. 'I expect the stuff that kills the pain is all at the bottom.' And I thought there might be somethin' in it, so I fetched the bottle aga

a whisper and punctuated by sniffs. Her tw

s dead?" asked Violet. "

n pride, "anyone as 'as seen death as o

of her calling. It had been handed down from mother to daughter in her family for the past four generations.

oonful of the top. For I knew what 'is first thought would be," said Mrs. Briggs grimly. "And I wasn't minded to let myself in for any questions. Yer see, my dear, 'e'd told me 'isself as the pore creature couldn't last the week. Well, I stuck the bottle on the shelf, and went to meet 'im. 'She's gone, sir,' I says. He come right past me without a word and stoops over the

claimed Olga

ould see as 'e was pretty mad that 'e'd come too late. I weren't sorry myself," she asserted boldly. "For I'd 'oped again

to a chair. Violet sprang to comfort, while Olga took possession

sually characterized her. "I've no call to fret," she said. "And don't you go rubbin' my di

ained Violet. "But I'm afraid you'll have to

"It's a pity you couldn't 'a' seen 'er in 'er coffin; for it was a beautiful coffin. Briggs said it was as fine

neral," she said. "And everyone liked it-even Briggs. But I thought I'd

She was quite cheery by the time her two visitors took their leave. They left her waving farewell from her doorst

and see Cork and Pluto next. I like to drop in unexpectedly wh

much time,"

e! We're not slaves," s

out further words. It always took less time to yiel