"Well, suppose I could?" Dr. Lavendar said. "I have a notion to try
it. I don't know that I'll succeed. But suppose they met, and things
shouldn't run smoothly, and there should be an explosion--would there
be danger to Benjamin?"

William King whistled. "After all these years!" Then he reflected.
"Well, of course, sir, he is an old man. But he is like iron, Dr.
Lavendar. When he had quinsy two years ago, I thought he had come to
the end. Not a bit of it! He's iron. Only, of course, anger is a great
drain. Better caution Sam not to cross him."

"Then there would be some danger?"

"I shouldn't like to see him get into a rage," the doctor admitted.
"But why should he get into a rage, if they are going to patch things
up? Good Lord!" said William King, gaping with astonishment; "at
last!"

"I haven't said they would patch things up. But there is a chance that
I can get 'em to talk over Benjamin's anxiety about Sam's Sam. Fact
is, Benjamin is disturbed about the boy's sheep's-eyes. Sam thinks,
you know, that he is in love with Mrs. Richie, and--"

"In love with Mrs. Richie!" William broke in angrily. "The idea of his
bothering Mrs. Richie! it's outrageous. I don't wonder Mr. Wright is
concerned. It's disgraceful. He ought to be thrashed!"

Dr. Lavendar drew a quick breath and let his pipe-hand fall heavily on
the table beside him. "No, William, no; not thrashed. Not thrashed,
William."