formyoolates no express reply, but growls. The Professor, still
with that propitiatin' front, appeals to the rest of us.

"'Gents,' he says, 'this yere's the most reesentful outfit I'm ever
inveigled into tryin' to give a show to. I certainly has no thought of
rubbin' wrong-ways the pop'lar bristles. All I aims at is to give a
exhibition of anamile magnetism, cure what halt an' blind--if any--is
cripplin' an' moonin' about, c'llect my _dinero_ an' peacefully hit
the trail. An' yet it looks like a prejewdice exists ag'inst me
yere.'

"'Put a leetle pressure on the curb, thar,' interrupts Peets. 'You're
up ag'inst no prejewdice. On that bill, wharwith you've done defaced
the Wolfville walls, you makes sundry claims. An' now you r'ars back
on your ha'nches, preetendin' to feel plumb illyoosed, because some
one seeks to put the acid on 'em.'

"'That's whatever!' adds Boggs; 'the Doc states my p'sition
equilaterally exact. I sees your Red Dog show. I'll be present a whole
lot at your show to-morry night. Also, I feels the need of gyardin'
ag'inst my own credoolity. What I sees you do in Red Dog, while not
convincin', throws me miles into the oncertain air; an' I don't figger
on lettin' you _vamoos_, leavin' me in no sech a onsettled frame.
Wharfore, I deemands tests.'

"'Yere,' breaks in Nell, who's been listenin', 'what's the matter of
this occult party hypnotizin' me.'

"'The odd kyard in that deck,' says Cherokee, his manner trenchin' on
the baleful--'the odd kyard in that deck is that onless this yere
occultist is cap'ble of mesmerizin' a bowie to whar it looses both
p'int an' edge, for him to go weavin' his wiles an' guiles 'round you,
Nellie, would mark the evenin' of his c'reer.'

"Nell beams an' brightens at these yere proofs of Cherokee's int'rest,
while the pore Professor looks as deeply disheveled mental as he does
when Texas goes soarin' aloft.

"Little Enright Peets waddles up to tell his paw that Tucson Jennie
wants him. As he comes teeterin' along on his short cub-b'ar laigs,
fat an' 'round as forty pigs, the Professor--thinkin' it'll mebby
relieve the sityooation--stoops down to be pleasant to little Enright
Peets.

"'Yere's my little friend!' he says, at the same time holdin' out his
hands.

"Later we-all feels some ashamed of the excitement we displays. But
the trooth is, the Professor offerin' to caress little Enright Peets
that a-way sends us plumb off our feet. I never before witnesses any