Colonel Tait, who had been observing him keenly ever since his entering the room, now approached him, greeted him with a cheerful “Hello!” took him by the hand and felt his pulse.
“How are you, old chap? Feeling a little better than you were, aren't you?”
“Yes--doc--tor. Rather--rotten--though--Be all right--to-morrow--”
“Sure you will! Still a little rest won't do you any harm. We'll send you down for a couple of weeks, and then you will be fit enough to have another go at the boche.”
So saying he turned him over to an assistant, and went on with his work. At this point Cameron, from whose eyes the look of horror had not yet faded, leaned over to Barry and whispered:
“Let's get out of this. For Heaven's sake, this thing is getting me.” He glanced at Barry. “What, are you ill, too?”
“Ill,” answered Barry between his clenched teeth. “Ill? No, why should I be ill? Look at these boys. I see myself ill. By Jove!” he added under his breath, “here's another shell shock. Sit down, Cameron!” His voice took on a sterner tone. “Sit down. Don't be an ass!”
Once more Colonel Tait took in hand the shell-shock man. This second was a stretcher case. The man was very violent, requiring two men to hold him on his stretcher.
“Oh, let him go! Let him go!” said Colonel Tait. “What's wrong with you?” he said to the man. “Have you any wounds?”
“No, sir,” chattered the man miserably. “Shell--shock,--sir. Buried--twice--by a shell. Oh! Ah!”
The colonel had a few moments' conversation with Gregg, who came over to where Barry was sitting and said:
“I say, Dunbar, watch this case. You will see some fun.”
“Fun,” echoed Barry, shaken and indignant. “Not much fun for that poor chap.”
The man stood up without much apparent difficulty.
“Ah!” said the colonel. “Shell shock. Bad case, too.” His voice was kind and sympathetic. He gripped the man by the arm and ran his hand down his spine until he came to the small of his back.
“Pain there, eh?” he said, giving the man a poke.
“Thought so,” said the doctor. “Bad case! Poor chap! A curious feeling in the legs, eh?”
The man nodded vigorously, still twitching violently and making animal moanings.
Still pursuing his investigations and continuing to sympathise with his patient, the doctor enquired as to other symptoms, to all of which the patient promptly confessed. When the examination was completed, the doctor gave his man a hearty slap on the back and said: