"About the specialist? Yes--that's it," as the doctor gave it his attention. "It's an odd thing--I consulted the man a few years since about my heart. I'm wondering now if his verdict was wrong?" The doctor's face went graver still. He guessed that the young man before him had suffered the dread of all heart patients and now this further anxiety had been added, with a sense of shock. "They say there," went on McTaggart, "that his brain has been failing for some years--that he made mistakes--you see the line--'_strange and eccentric diagnoses_'--I wonder ... do you mind if I tell you?" He hesitated, but the other answered: "Please do"--realizing that the strain might be lessened by a confidence. "He said I had a double heart." McTaggart laughed nervously, as he saw the doctor's incredulous face, that went quickly blank again. "He said my circulation was good--that it didn't affect my health in the least. But there it was--a double heart--a separate organ on either side! It sounds mad--I'll admit that. But I never dreamed he could be mistaken--a man with a reputation like his!" "Of course." The doctor nodded his head. "I believe there _have_ been cases on record. But I've never met anyone who had come across it--professionally or otherwise. It's quite unique." "No?" McTaggart smiled back, relieved anew by the words. "I didn't bother much about it. There was no danger, so he said. But it's been ... I can't exactly explain--a sort of perpetual discomfort to me." "I can quite understand that," said the other and his voice was full of sympathy. He had seen, at ambulance lectures, strong men faint at the sight of diagrams explaining the dangers that menaced the heart. He knew the fear that underlay any weakness of that organ and he felt, too, a curious interest in the living case before his eyes. McTaggart liked his new friend's face and the quiet courtesy of the man. He was urged anew by the first impulse that had moved him to confide in a stranger. "Look here----" his voice was abrupt out of sheer nervousness. "I'm going to make an odd suggestion--I hope you won't be offended by it? The fact is--just now--it's rather important that I should know where I stand--and get to the bottom of this! I want to marry----" his colour rose under the bronze of his skin, but he went on doggedly, "I'd like to be quite sure--first. That I'm sound, you know--and all that ... I'm going down--to see her--to-night..." The doctor's eyes began to twinkle as McTaggart laughed boyishly; then, gravely, he answered him. "You're quite right--I wish more men would take that view of marriage! It's the sane one, the _only_ one that's going to do any good to the race." Quite unconsciously McTaggart had started him on his hobby, Eugenics. He felt drawn to the young fellow, with his frank speech and handsome face.