THE DOCTOH. 117 



groom, in a low, husky voice, and feigning illness, 

 whether his daughter had been there ? 



" Oh, dear, yes, sir, she has and she is in a pretty 

 way ahout you, sir, being out in these cold, easterly 

 winds. She left word that she was going to Swan and 

 Edgar's, in Eegent Circus, to make some purchases, 

 and that if you called here, she desired me to say you 

 were to go up there immediately/' 



"Yes, yes ; I'll go," said he, as he hobbled off, being 

 seized with another fit of coughing in the middle of the 

 yard. 



" Is that the gentleman who owns the horse ?" said 

 the Captain to Jimmey. 



" Yes," said Jimmey ; " that is Dr. 



The Captain waited until the coughing scene was 

 finished, and then, walking up to him, said 



" Pardon me, sir, but you are Dr. , of Road, 



St. John's Wood." 



" Yes, I am, sir," said the Doctor, with an effort. 



"You have a horse here for sale; what do you want 

 for him ?" said the Captain. 



"My dear sir," began the Doctor, "I am sorry that I 

 am not able to talk to you as I could wish ; for, as you 

 see, I am very poorly (gasps for breath and lays his 

 hand on his side). I am going to Germany to recruit 

 my health, and have left the sale of him ail to my groom, 

 who is an old and trustworthy servant. He has been 

 with me eighteen years, and he will tell you all about 

 the horse ; but I may say, that I bought him from the 



