t like he's certain of his foothold, 'since things has gone thus
far I'll sa'nter into the midst of these domestic difficulties an' adjust
'em some. I've thought up a s'lootion; an' it's apples to ashes that
inside of twenty-four hours I has Jennie pettin' an' cossetin' Dave to
beat four of a kind. Leave this yere matter to me entire.'

"We-all can't see jest how Peets is goin' to work these mir'cles; still,
sech is our faith, we believes. We decides among ourse'fs, however, that
if Peets does turn this pacific trick it'll ondoubted be the crownin'
glory of his c'reer.

"After Peets hangs up his bluff, we goes about strainin' eyes an' y'ears
for any yells or signal smokes that denotes the advent of said changes.
An', son, hard as it is to credit, it comes to pass like Peets
prognosticates. By next evenin' a great current of tenderness for Dave
goes over Jennie all at once. She begins to call him 'Davy'--a onheard
of weakness!--an' hovers about him askin' whatever he thinks he needs; in
fact, she becomes that devoted, it looks like the little Enright Peets'll
want he'p next to play his hand for him. That's the trooth: Jennie goes
mighty clost to forgettin' Enright Peets now an' then in her wifely
anxieties concernin' Dave.

"As for Dave himse'f, he don't onderstand his sudden an' onmerited
pop'larity; but wearin' a dazed grin of satisfied ignorance, that a-way,
he accepts the sityooation without askin' reasons, an' proceeds to profit
tharby. That household is the most reeconciled model fam'ly outfit in
all broad Arizona. An' it so continyoos to the end.

"'Whatever did you do or say, Doc?' asks Enright a month later, as we-all
from across the street observes how Jennie kisses Dave good-bye at the
door an' then stands an' looks after him like she can't b'ar to have him
leave her sight; 'what's the secret of this second honeymoon of Dave's?'

"'Which I don't say much,' says Peets. 'I merely takes Jennie one side
an' exhorts her to brace up an' show herse'f a brave lady. Then I
explains that while I ain't told Dave none--as his knowin' wouldn't do no
good--I regyards it as my medical dooty to inform her so's she'll be
ready to meet the shock. "The trooth is, Missis Tutt," I says, "pore
Dave's got heart disease, an' is booked to cash in any moment. I can't
say when he'll die exactly; the only shore thing is he can't survive a
year." She sheds torrents of tears; an' then I warns her she mustn't let
Dave see h