Brophy, it should be mentioned, had proved a sensational success. His Elixir was making the local gnats feel perfect fools. They would bite Colonel Wyvern on the face and stand back, all ready to laugh, and he would just smear Brophy on himself and be as good as new. It was simply sickening, if you were a gnat; but fine, of course, if you were Colonel Wyvern, and that just man, always ready to give praise where praise was due, said as much to Chas. Bywater. "That stuff," said Colonel Wyvern, "is good. I wish I'd heard of it before. Give me another bottle." Mr. Bywater was delighted--not merely at this rush of trade, but because, good kindly soul, he enjoyed ameliorating the lot of others. "I thought you would find it capital, Colonel. I get a great many requests for it. I sold a bottle yesterday to Mr. Carmody, senior." Colonel Wyvern's sunniness vanished as if someone had turned it off with a tap. "Don't talk to me about Mr. Carmody," he said gruffly. "Quite," said Chas. Bywater. Pat bridged a painful silence. "Is Mr. Carmody back, then?" she asked. "I heard he was at some sort of health place." "Healthward Ho, miss, just outside Lowick." "He ought to be in prison," said Colonel Wyvern. Mr. Bywater stopped himself in the nick of time from saying "Quite," which would have been a deviation from his firm policy of never taking sides between customers. "He returned the day before yesterday, miss, and was immediately bitten on the nose by a mosquito." "Thank God!" said Colonel Wyvern. "But I sold him one of the three-and-sixpenny size of the Elixir," said Chas. Bywater, with quiet pride, "and a single application completely eased the pain." Colonel Wyvern said he was sorry to hear it, and there is no doubt that conversation would once more have become difficult had there not at this moment made itself heard from the other side of the door a loud and penetrating sniff. A fatherly smile lit up Chas. Bywater's face. "That's Mr. John's dog," he said, reaching for the cough drops. Pat opened the door and the statement was proved correct. With a short wooffle, partly of annoyance at having been kept waiting and partly of happy anticipation, Emily entered, and seating herself by the counter, gazed expectantly at the chemist. "Hullo, Emily," said Pat. Emily gave her a brief look in which there was no pleased recognition, but only the annoyance of a dog interrupted during an important conference. She then returned her gaze to Mr. Bywater. "What do you say, doggie?" said Mr. Bywater, more paternal than ever, poising a cough drop. "Oh, Hell! Snap into it!" replied Emily curtly, impatient at this foolery. "Hear her speak for it?" said Mr. Bywater. "Almost human, that dog is." Colonel Wyvern, whom he had addressed, did not seem to share his lively satisfaction. He muttered to himself. He regarded Emily sourly, and his right foot twitched a little. "Just like a human being, isn't she, miss?" said Chas. Bywater, damped but persevering.