"It is nothing," he was saying, "a severe squeeze, some slight abrasions,
and a great nervous shock, quite serious in its nature, although your
friend makes light of it, and wishes to get up at once. I think,
however--"
A nurse entered.
"The patient insists upon my leaving the room," she cried angrily. "He is
dressing."
They heard Robert's voice:
"Confound it, I have been rolled on three times in one day by a bucking
broncho, and thought nothing of it. I absolutely refuse to stop in bed!"
The doctor resigned professional responsibility; and the nature of
Margaret's cheque caused him to admit that, to a man accustomed to South
American ponies, unbroken, the nervous shock might not amount to much.
Indeed, Robert appeared almost immediately, and in a bad temper.
"I lost my wind," he explained, "when that horse fell on me, and everyone
promptly imagined I was killed. I hope, Margaret, the needless excitement
of my appearance on a stretcher did not alarm you. They were going to whip
me off to the hospital when I managed to gurgle out the name of the
hotel."
"What happened?" said Brett.
"The most extraordinary thing. Have you told him, Davie?"
"No, I attributed your first words to me as being due to delirium. I had
no idea you were in earnest."
"Well, Mr. Brett," said Frazer, sitting down, for notwithstanding his
protests, he was somewhat shaky, "it began to rain after breakfast.
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