"But I've seen worse, much worse.

I hope you'll put the matter into the hands of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and have the parents prosecuted--picked him up in the gutter I suppose." "I haven't made up my mind about prosecuting them," said Sir Tancred.
"Oh, have them prosecuted! Have them prosecuted! It stops others," said the doctor.

"And besides, they might get the cat: it's the only thing brutes of this kind understand." Then he added thoughtfully, "There's one uncommon thing about this child--quite uncommon." "What's that ?" "His vitality--he ought to be in bed, half-dying, with those bruises, and starved as he is.

But you saw how he struggled to get away from me.

Well, I'll write you a prescription for as strong a tonic as I dare give a child." He wrote the prescription, promised to be round every morning, and took his fee.