"Your friend Mrs. French, inviting me to an expedition into the
foreign colony."

"Oh!" She could not keep the disappointment out of her tone.
"I think Mrs. French might call some of the other doctors."

"So she does, lots of them. And most of them stand ready to obey
her call."

"Well," said the little woman at his side, "I think you are going
too much among those awful people."

"Awful people?" exclaimed the doctor. "It's awfully good practice,
I know. That is, in certain lines. I can't say there is very much
variety. When a really good thing occurs, it is whisked off to the
hospital and the big guns get it."

"Well, I don't like your going so much," persisted his wife.
"Some day you will get hurt."

"Hurt?" exclaimed the doctor. "Me?"

"Oh, I know you think nothing can hurt you. But a bullet or a knife
can do for you as well as for any one else. Supposing that terrible
man--what's his name?--Kalmar--had struck you instead of the Polak,
where would you be?"

"The question is, where would he be?" said the doctor with a smile.
"As for Kalmar, he's not too bad a sort; at least there are others