after exhausting labours," he stated.
"We have looked forward for months to undisturbed repose amongst these
giant pines. No thought of care was to intrude. But my colleague's great
and tender heart has smitten him, and, I am ashamed to say against my
first inclination, he urges me to a course which I'd have liked to
avoid; but which, when he shows me the way, I realize is the only decent
thing. We find ourselves in the midst of a community of some hundreds of
people. It may be some of these people are suffering, far from medical
or surgical help. If there are any such, and the case is really
pressing, you understand, we will be willing, just for common humanity,
to do our best to relieve them. And friends," the speaker stepped
forward until his body touched the rope, and he was leaning
confidentially forth, "it would be poor humanity that would cause you
pain or give you inferior treatments. I am happy to say we came to this
great virgin wilderness direct with our baggage from White Oaks where we
had been giving a two weeks' course of treatments--mainly charitable. We
have our instruments and our medicines with us in their packin' cases.
If need arises--which I trust it will not--we will not hesitate to go to
any trouble for you. It is against our principles to give anything but
our best. You will suffer no pain. But it must be understood," he warned
impressively. "This is just for you, our neighbours! We don't want this
news spread to the lumber camps and over the countryside. We are here
for a rest. But we cannot be true to our high calling and neglect the
relieving of pain."

The man bowed slightly, and rejoined his companion to whom he conversed
low-voiced with absolute unconsciousness of the audience he had just
been addressing so intimately. The latter hesitated, then slowly
dispersed. Bob stood, his brows knit, trying to recall. There was
something hauntingly familiar about the whole performance. Especially a
strange nasal emphasis on the word "pain" struck sharply a chord in his
recollection. He looked up in sudden enlightenment.

"Painless Porter!" he cried aloud.

The man looked up at the mention of his name.

"That's my name," said he. "What can I do for you?"

"I just remembered where I'd seen you," explained Bob.

"I'm fairly well known."

Bob approached eagerly. The discourse, hollow, insincere,
half-blasphemous, a buncombe bit of advertising as it was, nevertheless
contained the germ of an essen