During that
time no word had been received from him and Madame's daily bulletin: "No
change for the worse," had been returned, marked "not found." She was
vaguely troubled and uneasy, fearing that something might have happened
to him, but forebore to speak of her fears.
One morning, while Allison was still asleep, the nurse wakened him
gently. "A new man, Mr. Allison; can you see him now?"
"I don't care," he replied. "Bring him in."
The newcomer was a young man--one would have guessed that the ink was
scarcely dry on his diploma. He had a determined mouth, a square chin,
kind eyes, and the buoyant youthful courage that, by itself, carries one
far upon any chosen path.
He smiled at Allison and Allison smiled back at him, in friendly
fashion. "Now," said the young man, "let's see."
His big fingers were astonishingly gentle, they worked with marvellous
dexterity, and, for the first time, the dreaded examination was almost
painless. He asked innumerable questions both of Allison and the nurse,
and wanted to know who had been there previously.
The nurse had kept no record, but she knew some of the men, and
mentioned their names--names to conjure with in the professional world.
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