Chapter III

_The Laurels,
Putney Heath, S. W.
November 9._

DEAR DOCTOR BURTON,

I wish you would come round this afternoon or to-morrow morning
and see my eldest child, James. There is nothing whatever the
matter with him, but his mother is in a flurry, because some
children with whom he went out to a party the other evening have
developed mumps, and his voice is husky, which she idiotically
believes to be a symptom of that disease. Your visit will cost me
two guineas; but it is well worth my while to spend that sum if
only to avoid her intolerable fussing. My advice to you as man to
man is, to look at the child's tongue, give him some plain water
by way of medicine, and go off again as quick as you can. Your fee
will be the same in any case, and it is ridiculous to waste time
over such business.

I am,
Your sincere friend,
JOHN ROE.