“That is possible.  But I trust to find only a simple cyst, or, at the worst, an adipose or fibrous tumor easy of removal, though I am sorry it is in the neck.  I never like to cut in among the large blood-vessels and tendons of that region.”

At twelve o’clock Doctor Hillhouse made the promised visit.  He found Mrs. Carlton to all appearance quiet and cheerful.

“My husband is apt to worry himself when anything ails me,” she said, with a faint smile.

The doctor took her hand and felt a low tremor of the nerves that betrayed the nervous anxiety she was trying hard to conceal.  His first diagnosis was not satisfactory, and he was not able wholly to conceal his doubts from the keen observation of Mr. Carlton, whose eyes never turned for a moment from the doctor’s face.  The swelling was clearly outlined, but neither sharp nor protuberant.  From the manner of its presentation, and also from the fact that Mrs. Carlton complained of a feeling of pressure on the vessels of the neck, the doctor feared the tumor was larger and more deeply seated than the lady’s friends had suspected.  But he was most concerned as to its true character.  Being hard and nodulated, he feared that it might prove to be of a malignant type, and his apprehensions were increased by the fact that his patient had in her constitution a taint of scrofula.  There was no apparent congestion of the veins nor discoloration of the skin around the hard protuberance, no pulsation, elasticity, fluctuation or soreness, only a solid lump which the doctor’s sensitive touch recognized as the small section or lobule of a deeply-seated tumor already beginning to press upon and obstruct the blood vessels in its immediate vicinity.  Whether it were fibrous or albuminous, “benignant” or “malignant,” he was not able in his first diagnosis to determine.

Dr. Hillhouse could not so veil his face as to hide from Mr. Carlton the doubt and concern that were in his mind.

“Deal with me plainly,” said the latter as he stood alone with the doctor after the examination was over.  “I want the exact truth.  Don’t conceal anything.”

Mr. Carlton’s lips trembled.

“Is it a—­a tumor?” He got the words out in a low, shaky voice.

“I think so,” replied Doctor Hillhouse.  He saw the face of Mr. Carlton blanch instantly.

“It presents,” added the doctor, “all the indications of what we call a fibrous tumor.”

“Is it of a malignant type?” asked Mr. Carlton, with suspended breath.

“No; these tumors are harmless in themselves, but their mechanical pressure on surrounding blood-vessels and tissues renders their removal necessary.”

Mr. Carlton caught his breath with a sigh of relief.

“Is their removal attended with danger?” he asked.

“None,” replied Dr. Hillhouse.

“Have you ever taken a tumor from the neck?”

“Yes.  I have operated in cases of this kind often.”