"She's conscious now," the doctor reported, "but she's very prostrate--suffering from severe shock. I think you shouldn't see her for a little while." "What's the injury, Dr. Gardiner?" "The shock is severe." "Will it kill her?" "No, no! The shock kill her? Oh, no, no! She has a splendid constitution. Kill her? Oh, no, no!" "And is that all?" "No, not quite all, Mr. Imason. There is--er--in fact, a lesion, a local injury, a fracture, due to the force of the impact on the ground." "Is that serious? Pray be quiet, Mrs. Mumple. You really must restrain your feelings." "Serious? Oh, undoubtedly, undoubtedly! I--I can't say it isn't serious. I should be doing wrong----" "In one word, is it fatal or likely to be fatal?" Grantley was nearly at the end of his forced patience. He had looked for a man--he had, it seemed, found another old woman; so he angrily thought within himself as old Gardiner stumbled over his words and worried his whiskers. "If I were to explain the case in detail----" "Presently, doctor, presently. Just now I want the result--the position of affairs, you know." "For the moment, Mr. Imason, there is no danger to Mrs. Imason--I think I may say that. But the injury creates a condition of things which might, and in my judgment would, prove dangerous to her as time went on. I speak in view of her present condition." "I see. Could that be obviated?" Gardiner's nervousness increased. "By an operation directed to remove the cause which would produce danger. It would be a serious, perhaps a dangerous, operation----" "Is that the only way?" "In my judgment the only way consistent with----" A loud sob from Mrs. Mumple interrupted him. Grantley swore under his breath. "Go on," he said harshly. "Consistent with the birth of the child, Mr. Imason." "Ah!" At last he had got to the light, and the nervous old man had managed to deliver himself of his message. "I understand you now. Setting the birth of the child on one side, the matter would be simpler?" "Oh, yes, much simpler--not, of course, without its----" "And more free from danger?" "Yes, though----" "Practically free from danger to my wife?" "Yes; I think I can say practically free in the case of so good a subject as Mrs. Imason." Grantley thought for a minute. "You probably wouldn't object to my having another opinion?" he asked. Relief was obvious on old Gardiner's face. "I should welcome it," he said. "The responsibility in such a case is so great that----" "Tell me the best man, and I'll wire for him at once." Even on this point Gardiner hesitated, till Grantley named a man known to everybody; him Gardiner at once accepted. "Very well; and I'll see my wife as soon as you think it desirable." He paused a moment, and then went on: "If I understand the case right, I haven't a moment's hesitation in my mind. But I should like to ask you one question: am I right in supposing that your practice is to prefer the mother's life to the child's?"