S. R. Crockett

“ Macfarlane preferred to stand till he knew exactly where he was.
"I have the honour of addressing——" he said, and paused.
"William Reginald Setoun Ormithwaite," said Billiam quietly.
"You are a doctor?" queried his visitor.
"By no means, I am only a student," said Billiam quickly. "But I give these people a hand with anything they bring along."
"Do you possess any qualification?" persisted Dr. Macfarlane.
"Qualification!" said Billiam, a little perplexed. "Well, I've been patching up dogs' legs and things all my life." ”

“ Why in creation didn't you settle down and be a proper parson, if you wanted to do all this kind of thing. It makes me sick!"
Billiam looked at him a while as if for once he would try to explain. But the hopelessness of the task made him turn away sadly. Nobody ever would understand. He must just go on and on, till they' put him in a lunatic asylum.
"See here," he said, "better put on your clothes, Herbert. You'll be sure to catch cold, prancing about there in your night things. And you don't look pretty," he added, looking at him critically.
"But why wouldn't you be a parson, Billiam? ”

“ I heard you with my own ears prescribing for the man who went out just now—an old patient of my own, if I mistake not. And I saw you with these eyes taking a fee from him as he passed through the door. ”

“ Billiam had, to save appearances, compromised on the question of the veterinary surgeon. He was to study hard in order to become an ordinary surgeon and physician of humans. He was only to be allowed to come home once a year. He had agreed not to pester his father with requests for more money. In every way Billiam was made to feel, that he was a prodigal son and a disgrace to the stock of the Ormithwaites of Ormithwaite. ”

“ An old man full to the brim of years and dignities, he had lived all his life under the wing of his brother the squire, rooted safely in the family living, dining every Sunday and Thursday at the Hall, and reading his hundred sermons in a rotation as settled and regular as that of the crops. But now the old order was changed, and, according to the squire's providential arrangement, the new order was to be—Billiam. ”

“ Then smells of diverse kinds arose, and bred quarrelsome dissension of a very positive kind. The house-master came up one night to find Billiam with an open knife in his hand, driving fiercely into a throng of boys armed with cricket bats and wickets. Whereupon he promptly dashed at the young desperado, and wrested the knife out of his hands.
"Do you wish to murder somebody?" ”

“ It's healthy no end, if it does stink a bit."
"Maybe," said his brother the Captain, "but it certainly does smell like stables."
"Well, I'll have the fire lighted, and we'll have some supper before the people begin to come," said Billiam, calmly, "you'll be picking these old rags for lint, and laying out the bandages."
The Captain and Billiam dined upon a rasher of bacon and eggs which Billiam fried. A rasher of bacon and eggs which Billiam fried in the pan, along with sliced potatoes and butter. The Hussar, being exceedingly hungry, thought he had never tasted anything more delicious. ”

“ Instead of taking a comfortable sitting-room and bedroom in a well-frequented and sanitary neighbourhood, Billiam entered into the tenancy of an entire suite of rooms upon the garret floor of one of the high "lands" which are a distinctive feature of the old quarter of St. Leonards.
Within this tumbledown dwelling, Billiam found himself in possession of five large rooms, with wide windows and in some instances with skylights also. He was to pay at the modest rate of eight pounds in the half-year for the lot. Billiam counted down his first quarter's rent, and went out to order a brass plate. ”

“ Billiam looked up a little wearily, as if the subject had suddenly grown too large for discussion
"I shan't be very long," he said, and went on buttoning the ulster about his slim young body.
"In for a penny, in for a pound," said the soldier. "I'll come and help you to steal coals, if I'm cashiered for it."
Billiam pointed to an old overcoat which hung upon a nail behind the door.
"That's got pockets for coals and things, too. If you really want to come along," he said, not very hopefully, "but I think you had better look to the collie till I come back."
"I'm on it," said the Hussar ”

“ And the Hussar strode on with the air of a man who determines to see a desperate venture through to the bitter end.
They came in time to the corner of Montgomery-street, and again mounted up the crazy stairs. The fire had died down, and when Captain Ormithwaite went to the coal box. it was empty.
"Hello, Billiam," he said, "how do you propose to keep us warm all night? Has somebody taken out your coals on loan as well as your bed?" ”

“ It was pitiful, he thought privately, to see so dignified and respectable a man as his father thus losing control of himself. So Billiam fidgeted, hoping that the painful scene would soon be over so that he might get back again to the lame setter at the kennels. ”