, of course, I shall be
very careful for a couple of weeks. One can't tell, you know. Blood
poisoning and all that sort of thing. But let's not talk of it--it's
gruesome."

"Indeed it is. You must be extremely careful, Wicker. Promise me that
you will do nothing foolish. Don't use your leg until the doctor--but I
have something better. We will send for Dr. J----. He can run up from
Boston two or three times--"

"Nothing of the sort, mother! Nonsense! Smith knows more in a minute
than J---- does in a month. He's handling the case exactly as I want him
to. Let well enough alone, say I. You know J---- always wants to
amputate everything that can be cut or sawed off. For heaven's sake,
don't let him try it on me. I need my legs."

It is not necessary to say that Mrs. Bonner was completely won over by
this argument. She commanded him to stay where he was until it was
perfectly safe to be moved across the river, where he could recuperate
before venturing into the city of his birth. Moreover, she announced
that Edith and she would remain in Boggs City until he was quite out of
danger, driving over every day in their chartered automobile. It
suddenly struck Bonner that it would be necessary to bribe "Doc" Smith
and the entire Crow family, if he was to maintain his position as an
invalid.

"Doc" Smith when put to the test lied ably in behalf of his client (he
refused to call him his patient), and Mrs. Bonner was convinced. Mr.
Crow and Eva vigorously protested that the young man would not be a
"mite of trouble," and that he could stay as long as he liked.

"He's a gentleman, Mrs. Bonner," announced the marshal, as if the mother
was being made aware of the fact for the first time. "Mrs. Crow an' me
have talked it over, an' I know what I'm talkin' about. He's a perfect
gentleman."

"Thank you, Mr. Crow. I am happy to hear you say that," said Mrs.
Bonner, with fine tact. "You will not mind if he stops here a while
longer then?"

"I should say not. If he'll take the job, I'll app'int him deputy
marshal."

"I'd like a picture of you with the badge and uniform, Wick," said Edith
with good-natured banter.

Just before the two ladies left for Boggs City that evening Bonner
managed to say something to Edith.

"Say, Ede, I think it would be uncommonly decent of you to ask Miss Gray
down to Boston this spring. You'll like her."

"Wicker, if it were not so awfully common, I'd laugh in my sleeve," said
she, surveying him with