drop it. But I'm getting tired. And Boyee ought to have
schooling. So, I'll settle down and try a regular proprietary trade with
the Mixture and some other stuff I've got. I guess I can make printer's
ink do the work. And there's millions in it if you once get a start.
More than you can say of regular practice. I tried that, too, before I
took up itinerating." He grinned. "A midge couldn't have lived on my
receipts. By the way," he added, becoming grave, "what was your game in
cutting in on my 'spiel'?"

"Just curiosity."

"You ain't a government agent or a medical society investigator?"

The physician pulled out a card and handed it over. It read, "Mark
Elliot, Surgeon, U.S.N."

"Don't lose any sleep over me," he advised, then went to open the outer
door, in response to a knock.

A spectacled young man appeared. "They told me Professor Certain was
here," he said.

"What is it?" asked the quack.

"About that stabbing. I'm the editor of the weekly 'Palladium.'"

"Glad to see you, Mr. Editor. Always glad to see the Press. Of course
you won't print anything about this affair?"

The visitor blinked. "You wouldn't hardly expect me to kill the story."

"Not? Does anybody else but me give you page ads.?"

"Well, of course, we try to favor our advertisers," said the spectacled
one nervously.

"That's business! I'll be coming around again next year, if this thing
is handled right, and I think my increased business might warrant a
double page, then."

"But the paper will have to carry something about it. Too many folks saw
it happen."

"Just say that a crazy man tried to interrupt the lecture of Professor
Andrew Leon Certain, the distinguished medical savant, and was locked up
by the authorities."

"But the knifing. How is the boy?"

"Somebody's been giving you the wrong tip. There wasn't any knife,"
replied the Professor with a wink. "You may send me two hundred and
fifty copies of the paper. And, by the way, do what you can to get that
poor lunatic off easy, and I'll square the bills--with commission."

"I'll see the Justice first thing in the morning," said the editor with
enthusiasm. "Much obliged, Professor Certain. And the article will be
all right. I'll show you a proof. It mightn't be a bad notion for you to
drop in at the jail with me, and see Neal, the man that stab--that
interrupted the meeting, before he gets talking with any one else."

"So it mightn't. But what about my leaving, now?" Profess