STRAMONIUM 



rustled sharply under my exploring foot. After 

 much crawling and stumbling and groping, I 

 found a crack in the siding. As I put my eye 

 to it a sharp arrow of wet wind came through 

 it and transfixed me. There was nothing to be 

 seen but darkening rain-gusts, with sombre 

 smears of hills and ghastly fields. As far as I 

 could penetrate, the rain was coming down 

 steadily in business-like sheets of desolation. 

 When I came to the edge of the platform and 

 looked down, there was the Doctor some ten feet 

 below me with his coat off, whistling &quot; Lead, 

 Kindly Light,&quot; and trying to scratch a damp 

 match. I looked at him with curious interest. 

 &quot; What are you trying to do ? &quot; I asked. 



&quot; I am trying to get supper,&quot; he answered 

 without looking up. &quot; How s the bedroom ? 

 Dry ? &quot; 



I believe I tried to execute a true metropolitan 

 sneer and drop it on him, but it went off half 

 cocked into a derisive chuckle, and he called up 

 to me : &quot; If there are any dry corn-cobs up there, 

 shove em down. They make a peat fire.&quot; 



I believe I pushed a half a ton of corn-cobs 

 down with my foot, making as much dust as 

 possible, and then I climbed down myself. No 

 man with the slightest vestige of his primitive 

 masculinity surviving could withstand the Doc 

 tor s defiant jollity of spirit. I soon found my 

 self piling corn-cobs &quot; criss-cross,&quot; and watching 

 the Doctor down on his marrow-bones blowing 

 at the husks he had lighted, which presently broke 



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