Chapter1

In the year 1878,I took my degree of Doctor of Medicine in the University of London,and proceeded to Netley to go through the course arranged for doctors in the army.

My regiment was stationed in India at the time ,and befor I could jion it,the sceond Afghan war had broken out.

So I was struck on the shoulder by a bullet,which shattered the bone.

I was shipped home,and landed a month later at Portsmouth harbor,with my health permanently ruined.

With permission from a caring goverment,I spent the next nine months in attempting to improve my health.

I naturally stteled in London.

So alarming did the state of my finances become that I soon realized that I must either leave the city and move to the country,or make a complete change in my style of living.

On the very day that I had come to this conclusion,I was standing at the Criterion Bar,when someone tapped me on the shoulder.

After turning round,I recognized young Stamford,an old friend of mine.

The sight of a friendly face in the great wilderness of London is a pleasant thing indeed to a loney man.

I felt to relieved and happy thata I arked him to lunch with me at he holborn,and we started off together in a cab.

During our lunch,stamford asked,"waht are you up to now