im; and he took a dislike to me without cause. Stood near a
church in a crowd of men one day when I seemed to be under discussion
and declared that a man to be a doctor ought to be smart and to be smart
a man must say something to prove the thought within him; and then he
asked if any one had ever heard me say anything worth remembering."

I felt that he wanted to quarrel with me, and I was in the humor to
gratify him. "And did anyone ever hear you say a thing worth
remembering?" I asked.

"Sir!" he snarled.

"You heard what I said. And I take a degree of cool pleasure in telling
you before we go further that you can't ride a high horse over me."

"A pedagogue's pedantry," he muttered.

"A man's truth," I replied. "And by the way," I added, "you appear to be
well horsed. Suppose you ride on ahead."

"Does this road belong to you, sir?" he demanded, turning a severe brow
upon me.

"A part of it does, and I am going to ride over that part without
annoyance. Do you understand?"

"Sir, I can understand impudence even if I can't say a thing worth
remembering. But rather than have words with you I will ride on, not to
accommodate you, but to preserve my own dignity and self-respect."

"Good!" I mockingly cried, "and if you continue to improve in expression
I shall after a while be forced to believe that Alf's estimate of you
was placed too low."

"I thank you, sir, for giving me the opportunity to say that a jury's
estimate will hereafter most influence your friend, and that he will be
placed high enough."

"You continue to improve, Doctor, and I believe that your last remark is
worth remembering. At least, I shall remember it, and when this trouble
is over, no matter what the result may be, I will hold you to account
for it. And to prove that I am in earnest I'll lend you the weight of
this." And with that I cut at his face with a switch. His horse shied
and the apple tree sprout whistled in the air. He said something about
hoping to meet me again and rode off at a brisk canter. I knew that I
had acted unwisely, felt it even while the impulse was rising fresh and
strong within me, but I was in no humor to bear with him. I rode along
more slowly than I was disposed, to let him pass out of my sight, for
every time I looked up and saw him I felt a new anger. And I was
relieved when a turn in the road placed him beyond my view. I heard a
galloping behind, and, looking round, I saw the old General coming with
a cava