"This medicine," he said, "acts on the spirits. It is called the _spiritum cheerabilum_. It cures depression; removes all nervous, agitating feelings--what we term _depressiones_; soothing the anxious mind because acting on the vital nerves--going to the root of every painful feeling, through the gastric juice, heart, and liver, along the spinal cord, and thence to the head and brain. This view is according to common-sense, you must admit. A few doses of such a medicine would put you on your legs, Sergeant, in a week! I never once knew it fail when taken perseveringly and with faith--with faith!" he added, with a benignant smile; "for faith, I am solemnly persuaded, can even yet remove mountains!" "Doctor, or whatever ye are," said the Sergeant, in an impatient tone of voice, "I want nane o’ yer pills or drugs; I hae a guid eneuch doctor o’ my ain." "Ha!" said Dr. Mair; "a regular practitioner, I presume? Yes, I understand. Hem! College bred, and all that." "Just so," said the Sergeant. "Edicated, as it were, for his wark, and no’ a doctor by guess." "But can you believe his word?" blandly asked Dr. Mair. "As muckle, surely, as yours," replied the Sergeant; "mair especial’ as guid and learned men o’ experience agree wi’ him, but no’ wi’ you." "How do you know they are good and learned?" asked Dr. Mair, smiling. "Mair onyhoo than I ken _ye’re_ good and learned, and no’ leein’," said Adam. "But God might surely reveal to me the truth," replied Mair, "rather than to ten thousand so-called learned men. Babes and sucklings, you know, may receive what is concealed from the great and self-confident." "My word! ye’re neither a babe nor a sucklin’, doctor, as ye ca’ yersel’; and, depen’ on’t, neither am I!" said the Sergeant. "Onyhoo, I think it’s mair likely the Almighty wad reveal himsel’ to a’ the sensible and guid doctors rather than to you alane, forbye a’ yer niggers!" "But I have testimonials of my cures!" continued Dr. Mair. "Wha kens aboot yer testimonials?" exclaimed Adam. "Could naebody get testimonials but you? And hae ye testimonials frae them ye’ve kill’t? I’se warrant no’! I tell ye again ye’ll never pruve tae me that ye’re richt and a’ the edicated doctors wrang." "But it’s possible?" asked Dr. Mair, with a smile. "Possible!" said the Sergeant; "but it’s ten thoosand times mair possible that ye’re cheatin’ yersel’ or cheatin’ me. Sae ye may gang." "But I charge nothing for my attendance, my dear sir, only for the medicine." "Just so," replied the Sergeant; "sae mony shillings for what maybe didna cost ye a bawbee--pills o’ aitmeal or peasebrose. I’m an auld sodger, and canna be made a fule o’ that way!" "I do not depend on my pills so much as on my prayers for the cure of disease," said the quack solemnly. "Oh, Sergeant! have you no faith in prayer?" "I houp I hae," replied the Sergeant; "but I hae nae faith in you--nane whatsomever! sae guid day tae ye!"