arly in life discovered that
the best way to get along with any man was to meet him on his own
ground. His opening blast of words at Doctor Byrne was a sample of his
art.

"So you're a doc, hey? Well, sir, when I was a kid I had a colt that
stuck its foreleg in a hole and busted it short and when that colt had
to be shot they wasn't no holdin' me. No, sir, I could of cleaned up on
the whole family. And ever since then I've had a hankerin' to be a doc.
Something about the idea of cuttin' into a man that always sort of
tickled me. They's only one main thing that holds me back--I don't like
the idea of knifin' a feller when he ain't got a chance to fight back!
That's me!"

To this Doctor Randall Byrne bowed, rather dazed, but returned no
answer.

"And how's your patient, doc?" pursued the irresistible marshal. "How's
old Joe Cumberland? I remember when me and Joe used to trot about the
range together. I was sort of a kid then; but think of old Joe bein'
down in bed--sick! Why, I ain't never been sick a day in my life. Sick?
I'd laugh myse'f plumb to death if anybody ever wanted me to go to bed.
What's the matter with him, anyway?"

"His nerves are a bit shaken about," responded the doctor. "To which I
might add that there is superimposed an arterial condition----"

"Cut it short, Doc," cried the marshal goodnaturedly. "I ain't got a
dictionary handy. Nerves bad, eh? Well, I don't wonder about that. The
old man's had enough trouble lately to make anybody nervous. I wouldn't
like to go through it myself. No, sir! What with that Dan Barry--I ain't
steppin' on any corns, Kate, am I?"

She smiled vaguely, but the marshal accepted the smile as a strong
dissent.

"They was a time not so long ago when folks said that you was kind of
sweet on Dan. Glad to hear they ain't nothin' in it. 'S a matter of
fact----"

But here Kate interrupted with a raised hand. She said: "I think that
was the supper gong. Yes, there it is. We'll go in now, if you wish."

"They's only one sound in the world that's better to me than a dinner
gong," said the profuse marshal, as they seated themselves around the
big dining table, "and that was the sound of my wife's voice when she
said 'I will.' Queer thing, too. Maria ain't got a very soft voice, most
generally speakin', but when she busted up in front of that preacher and
says 'I will,' why, God A'mighty--askin' your pardon, Kate--they was a
change come in her voice that was like a bell chimin