“Surely v’ walked enough now.  Feeling very tired.  Am really.  Would you be s’kind ’s t’let me lie down few minutes?”

“Don’t you think he might lie down for a little while?” Mrs. Schallibaum asked.

I felt his pulse, and decided that he was really becoming fatigued, and that it would be wiser not to overdo the exercise while he was so weak.  Accordingly, I consented to his returning to bed, and turned him round in that direction; whereupon he tottered gleefully towards his resting-place like a tired horse heading for its stable.

As soon as he was tucked in, I gave him a full cup of coffee, which he drank with some avidity as if thirsty.  Then I sat down by the bedside, and, with a view to keeping him awake, began once more to ply him with questions.

“Does your head ache, Mr. Graves?” I asked.

“The doctor says ‘does your head ache?’” Mrs. Schallibaum squalled, so loudly that the patient started perceptibly.

“I heard him, m’dear girl,” he answered with a faint smile.  “Not deaf you know.  Yes.  Head aches a good deal.  But I thing this gennleman mistakes—­”

“He says you are to keep awake.  You mustn’t go to sleep again, and you are not to close your eyes.”

“All ri’ Pol’n.  Keep’m open,” and he proceeded forthwith to shut them with an air of infinite peacefulness.  I grasped his hand and shook it gently, on which he opened his eyes and looked at me sleepily.  The housekeeper stroked his head, keeping her face half-turned from me—­as she had done almost constantly, to conceal the squinting eye, as I assumed—­and said: 

“Need we keep you any longer, doctor?  It is getting very late and you have a long way to go.”

I looked doubtfully at the patient.  I was loath to leave him, distrusting these people as I did.  But I had my work to do on the morrow, with, perhaps, a night call or two in the interval, and the endurance even of a general practitioner has its linits.

“I think I heard the carriage some time ago,” Mrs. Schallibaum added.

I rose hesitatingly and looked at my watch.  It had turned half-past eleven.

“You understand,” I said in a low voice, “that the danger is not over?  If he is left now he will fall asleep, and in all human probability will never wake.  You clearly understand that?”

“Yes, quite clearly.  I promise you he shall not be allowed to fall asleep again.”

As she spoke, she looked me full in the face for a few moments, and I noted that her eyes had a perfectly normal appearance, without any trace whatever of a squint.

“Very well,” I said.  “On that understanding I will go now; and I shall hope to find our friend quite recovered at my next visit.”

I turned to the patient, who was already dozing, and shook his hand heartily.

“Good-bye, Mr. Graves!” I said.  “I am sorry to have to disturb your repose so much; but you must keep awake, you know.  Won’t do to go to sleep.”