The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-08
THE DoCT OR s
HOYLAND.
NJ A. CONAN DOYLE.


Dr. James hlpIey was always IOokeu upon -
an exceedingly lucky dog by all OF the profess
sion who knew him. His father had preceded
him In practice in the village Of Hoyiand. in
the north OF Hampshire. and all was ready for
him on the very first day that the law allowed
him to put his name at the foot Of q prescrip-
ton. In q few years the old gentleman re-
tired and settled on the South Coast, leaving
his son in undisputsd possession Of the whole
country side Save for DR.. Horton. near Ba-
sinRstoke, the young surgeon had clear run
Of six miles in every direction and took his
81. 500 q year. though. as is usual In country
practices. the stable swallowed up most Of
what the consulting room earned.
DIR. James Ripley was two-and-thirty years
Of age. reserved. learned, unmarried. with set
rather stern features. and . thinning OF the
dark hair upon the top Of his head which was
worth quite hundred year to him. He was
particularly happy In his management OF la
dies. He had caught the tone Of bland stern
ness and decisive suavity which dominates
without offending. Ladies. however. were not
equally happy in their management OF him.
Professionally. he was always at their service.
Socially. he was drop Of quicksilver In vain
the country msmmas spread out their simple
lures in front Of him. Dances and picnics
were not to his taste, and he preferred during
his scanty leisure to shut himself ND in his
study and to bury himself In Virchow's Ar
chives and tho professional journals.
study was passion with him. and he would
have none OF the rust which often gathers
round a country practitioner. It was his am
bition to keep his knowledge as fresh and
bright as at the moment whom he had stepped
out Of the examination hall. lie prided him.
self on being able at q moments notice to
rattle OF tho seven qualifications OF some OBJ
scure artery or to give the exact percentage
Of any physiological compound After long
days work he would sit up half the night per-
forming irldsctomes and sxtractions upon
the sleeps eyes sent In by the village butcher.
to the horror OF his housekeeper. who had to
remove the debris next morning. His love
for his work was the one fanaticism which
found place in his dry. precise nature
1t was tho more to his credit that he should
keep UP to date in his knowledge. since he had
no competition to force him to exertlon. In
the seven years during which he had prac-
tised In Hoyland three rivals had pitted them
selves against him. two In the village itself
and one In the neighborine hamlet OF Lower
Hoyland. or these one had sickened and vast
cd. being. as It was said. himself the only pa
tient whom he had treated during his eighteen
months Of ruralizinR second had bought
fourth share OF q Basingstoks practice and
had departed honorably while . third had
vanished one September night, leaving .
Quilted house and an unpaid drug bill behind
him. Since then the district had become Q
mon opoy. and no one had dared to measure
himself against the established fame Of the
Hoyland doctor.
1t was. then. with feeling OF some surprise
and considerable curiosity that on driving
through Lower Hoyland one m orning he per-
ceivod that the new house ut the end OF the
village was occupied. ana that . virgin brass
plate glistensd upon the swinging gate which
faced tho high road. He pulled up his fifty
guinea chestnut mare. ard took good look at
it. "verrinder Smith. NJ. d." was printed
across IL in very neat. small lettering. The
last man had had letters half . foot long.
with u lamp like q FIRE station DR. James
Ripley noted the difference. and deduced
from 1t that the newcomer might possibly
prove q more formidable opponent. He was
convinced Of IL that evening whom he came to
consult the current medical directory. By 1t
he learned that DR.. Vsrrinder smith was the
holder o: superb degrees. that he had studied
with distinction at Edinburgh. Paris. Berlin.
and Vienna. and. finally. that he had been
awarded q gold medal and the Lee Hopkins
scholarship for original research In rscogni-
ton OF an exhaustive inquiry into the fune-
lions OF the anterior spinal serve roots. DR..
Ripley passed his fingers through his thin hale
in bewilderment as he read his rivals record.
-. r',,,i,a nm h,s Nat. IN a I,tt,. II. mn.hir.
1890
But DIR. Ripley furnished himself with an OK
.i.a.r Sn,,,h ri NJ. .o,o. 80 Era. =,
or,ar N nnrsus .oms sciantiac rs..,r,h in
no,ca ana ouia, TIL. Mat. vas nm az an al.
Jr.ss r.tbartb "a an inv,,ation IN patj.nts
OF course. that must DO the true explanation.
In tbst ca.a m. nr...nc. of thIs hriIIi.n.
rsigbhor vould ba a snlandId thing FOR nj.
own .tud,a. He had o,tsn lon9ad far .om.
tirdrsd mind ,oma stssl on which hs might
str,ra bis gint Chance had brought n IN him
and ha raioic.d .xeaadinpIv
And ,bis ;ov n vas which lad hin, m ,ata .
s,an which IVA. anita AZ y.rI.n.. vIth nj.
,sn.I h.hi,. II q. IN. .r.,om To- nv
ooun.r amon1 medical man 10 call nr.t unon
81 So snd ,h. .tIona,t. man Az s,h;..,
g. .trJot H. einI.v vas n.dsn,ic.lIv .,act -,
sroh noints ana ,st hs dsIihsrstsIv Srox. ov.r
80, a. nd cs,I.S man m v.rrInd.r s,s,,h
60 .I, :, .-.r.,. =. r. 81.