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So he ate his broth and toast, the doctor curtly declining to join hi his eyes in aversion Even the iced tea was flat and distasteful to hi, theunder his half-closed eyes And for a long while Dr Grisby sat, doubled al the patterns in the faded carpet

"I guess you'd better go, Stephen," he said at length

"Up the river--to Mulqueen's?"

"Yes Let's try it, Steve You'll be on your feet in teeks Then you'd better go--up the river--to Mulqueen's"

"I--I'll go, if you say so But I can't go now"

"I didn't say go now I said in teeks"

"Perhaps"

"Will you give me your word?" demanded the doctor sharply

"No, doctor"

"Why not?"

"Because I may have to be here on business There see which I don't understand"

"There's a crisis right here, Steve, which I understand!" snapped Dr Grisby "Face it like a man! Face it like a ht the fight, Steve! Fight a good fight There's a fighting chance; onchance for you! No, boy! Buckle up tight! Tuck up your sword-sleeve! At 'em, Steve! Give 'em hell! Oh, my boy, my boy, I know; I know!" The little man's voice broke, but he steadied it instantly with a snap of his nut-cracker jaws, and scowled on his patient and shook his little withered fist at him

His patient lay very still in the shadow

"I want you to go," said the doctor harshly, "before your self-control goes Do you understand? I want you to go before your decision is unders, cheating things, slinking things--anything and everything to get at the thing you crave I've given you soht with, and you won't take it faithfully I've given you free rein in tobacco and tea and coffee I've helped you as hts Now, you help me--do you hear?"

"Yes … I will"

"You say so; now do it Do so--and I don't blaet people down here to see you; get lots of people Telephone 'em; you've a telephone there, haven't you? There it is, by your elbow Use it! Call up people Talk all the time"

"Yes, I will"

"Good! Now, Steve, we knohat's the matter, physically, don't we? Of course we do! Now, then, what's the matter mentally?"