"It is like your good-heartedness to suggest it, Barclay," he said to his impetuous friend, "but it cannot be. I can only do what seems to me right," and he left them to talk over their verdict. "Gad! but I'm mighty sorry this has happened," said one old squire who had known Wulf from the year one. "Many's the time I've sat at this table----" "And under it," interjected one. "Ay, and under it, and I never expected to sit round it on Pasley Carew. I'd give a year's rents to have him back, even if he was all in pieces and raging like the Devil." "Same here. Whatever we decide it'll get out, and it's bound to tell against Dr Wulf." "He's bound to suffer,--can't help it,--it's human nature. Suppose you took ill tonight now, Barclay. What would you do?" "What would I do? I'd send for Wulf Dale of course, and I'd have same faith in him as I've always had." "Of course, of course,"--but even those who said it had more the air of wishing to placate Barclay, who had a temper, rather than of any deep conviction as to their own course should the unfortunate necessity arise. "Well," said Barclay, with the manner of a volcano on the point of eruption. "All I can say is that if any man I know goes ill and does not send for Wulf Dale, he'll have me to reckon with if the other man doesn't kill him." "Hear, hear!" from various points about the table. "Well, we've got to decide something and make an end of the matter," said one. "Barclay, you write out what you think and I've no doubt we'll all agree to it." "I'm going to write nothing," said Barclay, whose strong brown hand was more accustomed to the hunting-crop than the pen. "I say 'Accidental Death,' and keep your mouths shut." They all said 'Accidental Death' and promised to keep their mouths shut; and Wulfrey, when he was called in, thanked theta soberly for their good intentions, but added to their verdict,--"as the result of strychnine poison administered in mistake for distilled water in a sleeping-draught prepared by Dr Wulfrey Dale." X Jim Barclay, who was a bachelor, kept his bed next morning with an alleged bad cold,---a thing he had never been troubled with in all his born days, and ostentatiously sent his man galloping for Dr Wulfrey as though his master's life depended on it. Wulfrey smiled at the message, understanding the staunch friendliness which lay behind it, and went. "Well, what's wrong with you?" he enquired of the burly patient, when he was shown up to his bedroom.