rich was about to leave.

"It is an exceedingly critical case," replied the Doctor, "he may
possibly recover."

"'Tween you and me," said daddy, coming between them, "I'd like to
know how Prime got that shot?"

Poor Prime shook his head imploringly towards the Doctor, who went to
him, and quieted his apprehensions in a few whispered words. "I don't
care," said Prime, "only it would kill her to know it."

As they were passing the old brewery, when they were again on their
way, a man came out and accosted them. "Hello, old Roarer," said he,
addressing daddy, "how is Dr. DeWolf, this morning"

The old man straightened himself in his saddle, and preserved a
dignified silence.

With an oath, the man commanded him to speak, but daddy rode calmly
on; his indignation got the better of his cautiousness.

"I'll pound you to a jelly," shouted the man after him,

"I'll risk it," said daddy addressing the Doctor.

Now daddy was not really a natural coward. But it cannot be denied
that old age and extreme cautionsness had greatly moderated the
courage which he possessed in his youth. "'Tween you and me," he
continued, "that Hank Glutter is the meanest critter that ever trod
shoe-leather. I've heern poor Mrs. Hawley plead with him not to sell
Prime liquor, and I've heern him order her out of the saloon, and I've
follered her hum, to see how she took it. Well, it was dreadful to see
her goings on. She'd bounce on to the bed and groan there, then she'd
bounce up and throw herself on the floor and groan there, and moan and
holler right out; O, it seemed 'zif she never would get cool. She'd
walk the floor, and wring her hands and take on awful. Them was the
times when she was young and was full of grit--I've been watching her
lately, and she's acted rather different. Ye see she was down to the
brewery night afore last, I seen her coming hum and I knowed she was
dreadful riled about something, so I kept my eyes on her; Lord! if she
didn't drop, right down on her knees afore her bed, and let off all
her feelins in a wonderful strange way. Seems 'zif she just talked to
the Lord. When she riz up, she looked kinder quiet and resigned like,
just as she did to-day; sez I to myself, if there's a God in heaven,
he's heern that woman. I expected he would send fire down and burn
that old brewery that very night, but there it stands and that old
cuss, that hollered after me, is alive yet. 'Tween you and me, them
things is kinder strange, n