lp ye."

The newcomer attempted a cheery laugh, and said, "Well, I'm not much
good unless we can turn Time's flight backward, and make him a child
again temporarily. Kiddies are my specialty, you know, and although I've
a few grown-up patients, left over from the time when I took whatever
came, and was thankful, I am killing them off as fast as I can."

He spoke facetiously, with the design of instilling a lighter element in
the conversation; but, although Jerry smiled wryly, the girl looked so
shocked that Donald hastened to add, "Please don't be alarmed, dear, of
course I didn't mean that literally. And you know that I will do
anything in my power to help. I only wish that I knew more about
troubles affecting the heart," he added.

"Reckon the doctor down in Fayville hed ought ter say the same thing,"
interposed the old man. "I erlows he didn't do me no good, fer I got
better es soon's I quit takin' the stuff he left me."

"Don't be too hard on him, foster father. After all, what you probably
needed most was to give that big heart of yours a rest, and that is what
did the business then, and will now. Well, I'll look you over anyway. I
guess professional ethics won't be outraged, with the other physician
five steep, uphill miles away."

While he talked he had been opening his suitcase, and now took out a
compact emergency bag which experience had taught him never to go away
without, and at whose shining, unfamiliar contents Smiles' eyes opened
with fascinated amazement. Taking out a stethoscope, Donald bade the
giant open his soft, homemade shirt, and planted the transmitting disk
against the massive chest, padded with wonderful, bulging muscles.

"O-ho," he said under his breath, as he finally laid the instrument
aside; for his intently listening ears had caught the faint, but clearly
discernible sound of a systolic murmur, deep within.

"Air the trouble 'Aunt' ... what the other doctor said hit was?"
questioned Rose.

"Angina pectoris? He may have had a touch of that last winter of course,
but my guess is that it's something a bit different now."

"I haint erfeered ter hyar the truth," rumbled Jerry, straightening up
like a soldier before the court martial.

"Well," answered the doctor, "I should say that you have a touch of
another jaw-breaking Latin phrase, namely, an aneurism of the thoracic
aorta."

"Hit shor' sounds powerful bad," grunted Jerry. "But then I reckon thet
doctors likes ter use big word