John's grip tightened on the handle of his medicine case and he walked briskly and firmly to the door, and knocked. The cur arose and slunk a few paces to one side, then lay down again, with his yellow eyes fixed on the man. The door was opened a crack, and a rasping female voice said:
"I'm the doctor," answered Glenning; "let me in."
There was a moment's hesitation, during which a brief argument took place between the woman and some one else inside, then the door was grudgingly opened wide enough for John to enter, when it was promptly closed.
"Thar he is," said the woman. "Go to 'im; he's purty bad."
The sudden transition from the bright sunlight to the gloom of the cabin made it impossible for Glenning to see distinctly. He was vaguely conscious of the presence of a number of persons, and he could barely discern the outlines of a figure stretched on a bunk in a corner.
"All of you'll die if you don't have light and air," he announced, almost harshly, and striding to the window, removed the flimsy curtain. Then he turned abruptly to the woman who stood with mouth agape in the middle of the room. "Open the door!" he commanded; "let some air in here!"
She was a slatternly creature of uncertain age, her stooped shoulders and lined face showing her kinship with want and all physical suffering. She looked with curious intentness at the tall young man who seemed to so fill the small room, and did his bidding.
"Ye don't b'long in Mac'n, do ye?" she asked. "'Pears to me I've never saw ye before."
"I belong there now," replied John, shortly. "Came several days ago."
His quick eyes were taking in the meagre appointments of the room, and its occupants, as he was walking towards the sick man in his corner. The place seemed swarming with children of all ages and both sexes; they were thick as rats in a corn-bin. He could not believe all of them the offsprings of this destitute pair, and he voiced his idea as he knelt by the pallet.
"What are all these children doing here? Send them home. Don't you know they're in danger?"
"They _air_ home, thank ye!" rasped the woman, in quick defense of her brood. "They're _our'n_, I'd hev ye know, ever' blessed one, 'n' they've got more right here than you hev, ef you _air_ a doctor!"