Christine had gone away for a holiday, and Andrew felt lonely without her. The weather was hot and tiring, and life seemed dull. Then one day Watkins sent a message, asking him to call at his office.

The manager of the coal mines greeted him in a friendly manner. 'Listen, Doctor,' he said. 'Emlyn and a number of the miners want me to hire you as one of the Company's doctors.'

Andrew looked at him in surprise. 'You mean-'

'I mean,' Watkins said slowly, 'that I would like to add your name to the list of doctors, so that any man who wishes to can leave Dr Page and make you his regular doctor.'

'I couldn't agree to that! It wouldn't be fair to Dr Page,' Andrew replied. 'It wouldn't be honest!'

Watkins was disappointed. 'Think about my suggestion, Doctor,' he urged Andrew.

'It's no use - I couldn't do it!' he said firmly, though sadly.

Wishing that he had never been offered this opportunity to improve his position, Andrew tried to take his mind off the matter by going to see Denny. But, to his disappointment, he found that Denny had been drinking and could neither behave nor talk sensibly. Andrew put him to bed and left.

The next morning, after surgery, he went back to Denny's house to see how he was. He found him in an even worse condition. Swearing about Denny and the summer heat, Andrew hurried out to visit Philip's patients as well as his own.

When he called on him in the evening, Denny shouted: 'The medical profession! Huh! It's the worst system in the world! It's not honest! Give me another drink.' He paused. 'Manson, you're a good man! I love you better than a brother. You and I should work together. We'd soon change the whole of this profession.'

Denny nearly fell over, and Andrew put him to bed for the second time. For the rest of that week, he did all Denny's work. Then, on Sunday, Denny was quite well again.

'I understand that you've been doing my work for me, Manson,' he said in a cold voice.

His manner was so cold that Andrew left the house at once in anger. 'He behaves as if he has generously allowed me to do his work!' Andrew said to himself. But his anger soon left him. He was fond of Philip, and respected his honesty and skill as a doctor.

When Andrew reached home, Miss Page shouted at him: 'Is that you, Doctor? Dr Manson! I want you!'

'What's the matter, Miss Page?' he answered with annoyance.

She came up to him. 'What, you may well ask! Kindly explain this!' she said, holding up Joe Morgan's cheque.