ive, Mr. Droop. I'm sure those weren't thought of six years ago.
They're span spinter new. Why won't they do?"

"I ain't got one o' those either," Droop grumbled. "I've got a kodak
an' a graphophone an' a lot o' Milliken's cough syrup with the
recipe----"

"Why there!" cried Phoebe, exultantly. "Milliken's cough syrup is only
four years old, ain't it?"

Droop did not reply, but his silence was a virtual assent.

"The's a mint o' money in that--you know there is, Mr. Droop," she
urged. "Why, I guess Mr. Milliken must have two or three millions,
hasn't he?"

Rebecca returned at this moment and seated herself on the haircloth
settle, nodding silently to Droop.

"What's about Mr. Milliken's money, Phoebe?" she asked.

"Why Mr. Droop says the X-ray is no good because it costs a heap and he
hasn't got a machine fer it--an' I was tellin' him that Milliken's cough
syrup was just as good--for that wasn't invented six years ago, an'----"

"Phoebe Wise, what do you mean!" exclaimed Rebecca. "Why, it would be
jest like robbery to take Mr. Milliken's syrup, an' palm it off as Mr.
Droop's. I'm surprised at ye!"

This attack upon the ethical plane struck Phoebe speechless. She
blushed and stammered, but had no reply to make. The seeming defeat
really concealed a victory, however, for it instantly converted
Copernicus into an ally.

"You don't understand the thing, Cousin Rebecca," he said, gently but
firmly. "Ye see ef we go six years back, it'll be a time when Mr.
Milliken hadn't ever thought of his cough syrup. How could we be
robbin' him of somethin' he hasn't got?"

Rebecca looked confused for a moment, but was not to be so easily
convinced.

"'Tain't somethin' he ain't thought of," she said, stoutly. "He's makin'
money out of it, an' ef we get back before him, why, when time comes
agin for him to invent it he won't have it to invent. I'm sure that's
jest as bad as robbin' him, ain't it?"

Phoebe looked anxiously at Copernicus and was much pleased to find him
apparently unmoved.

"Why, you certainly don't understand this yet," he insisted. "Milliken
ain't agoin' back six years with us, is he? He'll jest go right along
livin' as he's ben doin'."

"What!" Rebecca exclaimed. "Will he be livin' in one time an' we be
livin' in another--both at the same--" She stopped. What _was_ she
saying!

"No--no!" replied Copernicus. "He'll go on livin'. That's what he _will_
do. We'll go on havin' lived. Or to put it differen