himself to the contents of everybody's plate had so roused the ire of
the rest of the household that Mr. Wedmore had had to give way to the
universal prejudice against him.

The doctor shook his head. Lack of capacity for managing a dog was just
what one might have expected from these new-comers.

Mr. Wedmore turned his chair to face that of the doctor, and spoke in
the sharp, incisive tones of a man who has serious business on hand.

"I've been hoping you would drop in every night for the last fortnight,"
said he, "and as you didn't come, I was at last obliged to send for you.
I have a very important matter to consult you about. You've brought your
pipe?" The doctor produced it from his pocket. "Well, fill it, and
listen. It's about young Horne--Dudley Horne--that I want to speak to
you, to consult you, in fact."

The doctor nodded as he filled his pipe.

"The young barrister I've met here, who's engaged to your elder
daughter?"

"Well, she was all but engaged to him," admitted Mr. Wedmore, in a
grudging tone. "But I'm going to put a stop to it, and I'll tell you
why." Here he got up, as if unable to keep still in the state of
excitement into which he was falling, and stood with his hands behind
him and his back to the fire. "I have a strong suspicion that the young
man's not quite right here." And lowering his voice, Mr. Wedmore touched
his forehead.