"Sit down.There's a chair in the southwest corner."Uncle John found the chair.He waited patiently a few moments and then his cholerb began to rise.
"If you're in such a blamed hurry to go fishing，why don't you get rid of me now？"he asked.
The shoulders shook gently and there was a chuckling laugh.The man laid down his test tube and swung around on his stool.
For a moment Mr.Merrick recoileda.The face was seared with lividb scars，the nose crushed to one side，the mouth crooked and set in a sneering grin.One eye was nearly closed and the other round and wide open.A more forbidding and ghastlyc countenance Mr.Merrick had never beheld and in hissurprise he muttered a low exclamation.
"Exactly，"said Gys，his voice quiet and pleasant."I don't blame you and I'm not offended.Do you wonder I hesitate to meet strangers？""I—I was not—prepared，"stammered Uncle John.
"That was Barlow's fault.He knows me and should have told you.And now I'll tell you why I consented to see you.No！never mind your own proposition，whatever it is.Listen to mine first.I want to go fishing，and I haven't the money.None of my brother physicians will lend me another sou，for I owe them all.You are John Merrick，to whom money is of little consequence.May I venture to ask you for an advance of a couple of hundred for a few weeks？When I return I'll take up your proposition，whatever it may be，and recompense you in services."He refilled and relighted the corncob while Mr.Merrickstared at him in thoughtful silence.As a matter of fact，Uncle John was pleased with the fellow.A whimsical，irrational，unconventional appeal of this sort went straight to his heart，for the queer little man hated the commonplace most cordially.
"I'll give you the money on one condition，"he said.
"I object to the condition，"said Gys firmly."Conditions are dangerous.""My proposition，"went on Uncle John，"won't wait forweeks.When you hear it，if you are not anxious to take it up，I don't want you.Indeed，I'm not sure I want you，anyhow.""Ah；you're frightened by my features.Most people with propositions are.I'm an unlucky dog，sir.They say it's good luck to touch a hunchbacka；to touch me is the reverse.Way up North in a frozen sea a poor fellow went overboard.I didn't get him and he drowned；but I got caught between two cakes of floating ice that jammed my nose out of its former perfect contour.In Yucatan I tumbled into a hedge of poisoned cactusb and had to operateon myself—quickly，too—to save my life.Wild with pain，Islashed my face to get the poisoned tips of thorn out of the flesh.Parts of my body are like my face，but fortunately I can cover them.It was bad surgery.On another I could have operated without leaving a scar，but I was frantic with pain.Don't stare at that big eye，sir；it's glass.I lost that optic in Pernambuco and couldn't find a glass substitute to fit my face.Indeed，this was the only onein town，made for a fat Spanish lady who turned it down because it was not exactly the right color.""You certainly have been—eh—unfortunate，"murmuredUncle John.
"See here，"said Gys，taking a leather book from an inside pocket of the coat that hung on a peg beside him，and proceeding to open it."Here is a photograph of me，taken before I embarked upon my adventures."Uncle John put on his glasses and examined the photograph curiously.It was a fine face，clean—cut，manly and expressive.The eyes were especially frank and winning.
"How old were you then？"he asked.
"Twenty—four.""And now？"
"Thirty—eight.A good deal happened in that fourteen years，as you may guess.And now，"reaching for the photograph and putting it carefully back in the book，"state your proposition and I'll listen to it，because you have listened so patiently to me."Mr.Merrick in simple words explained the plan to take a hospital ship to Europe，relating the incidents that led up to the enterprise and urging the need of prompt action.His voice dwelt tenderly on his girls and the loyal support of young Jones.
Dr.Gys smoked and listened silently.Then he picked up the telephone and called a number.
"Tell Hawkins I've abandoned that fishing trip，"he said.
"I've got another job."Then he faced Mr.Merrick.His smilewas not pretty，but it was a smile."That's my answer，sir.""But we haven't talked salary yet.""Bother the salary.I'm not mercenarya.""And I'm not sure—""Yes，you are.I'm going with you.Do you know why？""It's a novel project，very appealing from a humanitarianb standpoint and—""I hadn't thought of that.I'm going because you're headed for the biggest war the world has ever known；because I foresee danger ahead，for all of us；but mainly because—""Well？""Because I'm a coward—a natural born coward—and I can have a lot of fun forcing myself to face the shell and shrapnelc.That's the truth；I'm not a liar.And for a long time I've been wondering—wondering—"His voice died away in a murmur.
"Well，sir？"
Dr.Gys roused himself.
"Oh；do you want a full confession？For a long time，then，I've been wondering what's the easiest way for a man to die.No，I'm not morbid.I'm simply ruined，physically，for the practice of a profession I love，a profession I have fully mastered，and—I'll be happier when I can shake off this horrible envelope of disfigurement."