The Jest of Life by Arthur Gask — Read

IN the meanwhile, Mr. Henry Muffins had put himself to bed in no very comfortable or enviable frame of mind.

For four days, following upon his return from Melbourne, he had refused to see anyone, and only his wife had been allowed into his room. He had consumed vast quantities of liver pills and his diet had consisted mainly of dry toast and barley-water. He had refused to have a doctor and had insisted that he was only suffering from a chill, but his wife was frightened because of his unusual quietness and meekness of demeanour.