oor if it set
right!"

Doctor Kale had at last brought himself up, and he now cast a withering
look of scorn upon the excited layman. He was plainly too full for
words, for in a moment he clapped his hat on his head and bustled out
with it riding his ears.

"Old Kale's a caution," commented the judge, laughing lazily, "but he's
got plenty o' doctor sense. He's got the cream o' the practice about
here. The best people want 'im, and they'll wait for 'im if they ain't
pretty bad off. I knew you was on a cold trail, Uncle Billy, when you
struck Kale."

"He'd better quit if he can't 'ten' to the sick. I don't b'lieve in
'scrimination, nohow. He might 'a' knowed the county'd 'a' paid 'im for
his work. There never was a county without paupers in it, 'n' they're
always gittin' somethin' worse'n anybody else!"

Judge Colver waved his hand and turned to go.

"Uncle Billy'll show you where they live, doctor. I wish you'd bring me
your report as soon as you get back. We haven't had small-pox in the
county for thirty years," he added, as his big figure moved ponderously
out the door.

Mr. Hoonover had carried his point, but that fact in no wise stilled his
tongue. He must talk. An argument was always better suited to his
temperament, which was naturally belligerent, but when controversy was
impossible he rambled on anyhow. While Glenning was making his brief
preparations Uncle Billy's tongue was going.

"I hope you'll run ol' Kale till he takes in his sign!" he piped. "A
doctor oughter be for ever'body, but ol' Kale's for the quality
stric'ly. I do b'lieve he'd be glad if I was took with the small-pox,
so't he could git a dig at me."

"Oh, then he is your family physician, too?"

"Yes, yes; I'm a fool like the balance of 'em. But it don't pay to git
stuck on any one doctor, for they'll either neglect you or bulldooze you
when you do. If you c'n cure the Scribbenses, durned if I don't switch
off 'n' have you for a spell!"

Glenning smiled as he picked up his medicine case and reached for his
hat.

"We don't cure small-pox as easily as we do some things," he said. "I
understand these people live some distance from town?"

"Yes, on the Hillville pike--that is, you go that pike for a couple o'
mile, 'n' then strike out a side road passin' my place."

"Am I to go with you?"

"Yes, my buggy's ready--" Uncle Billy stopped at the foot of the stair
they had been descending, and squinted suspiciously up at John, one step
a