Sep Makes a Decision IT WAS in the January of 1930 that Bender had his first serious illness. Hilda found him a most refractory patient. 'It's only a chest cold, I tell you,' he wheezed, waving away inhalants, cough sweets and all other panaceas that his poor wife brought. The very idea of calling the doctor sent up his temperature. 'He'll only send me to bed,' he gasped. 'I'm much better off down here by the fire. Don't fuss so, Hilda.' But after a day or two he had such violent pains in his chest, and his breathing was so laboured that Hilda slipped out of the house and rang up the doctor from a neighbour's. Within an hour Bender was in Caxley Cottage Hospital. Sep heard about it at dinner time and rang the hospital for news. He was in some discomfort, he was told, but making progress. He would not be allowed visitors for some time. Sep was deeply shaken. For the next few days he went about his affairs silent and depressed. The market square was not the same without Bender's huge figure in the doorway of North's, and his great laugh sending the pigeons flying.
