She had a bottle
by her, when she died, that I sent out to her less than a week before,
and she hadn't the half of it drunk. What's more, I wouldn't have minded
a bit if Simpkins had had any right to be interfering; but he hadn't.
Thady Flanagan--that's married to old Biddy's grand-daughter--was
contented enough with the way she died, and asked me civilly would I have
any objection to his taking home the half-bottle of medicine for the use
of one of his own children. What I say is, that if the woman's own
relations had no complaint to make, what business had Simpkins to be
putting in his oar? What aggravated me was that kind of gratuitous and
unnecessary interfering."
"I quite see your point," said Meldon. "It's--"
"You've only heard the half of it," said Doyle. "The doctor's backward
in telling you, and small blame to him; but Simpkins wrote off to the
Local Government Board, preferring a lot of charges against the doctor,
and against myself as Chairman of the Board of Guardians--things you'd
wonder any man would have the face to say."
"What happened?" said Meldon.
"We've quietened them down for the present," said Doyle, "but there was a
lot of talk of a sworn enquiry.
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