صفحة 330 من 439

"Ain't that rather a large order, my dear?" he protested mildly.

"I couldn't really use a hundred thousand. And I'd hate to be

better than Job and Moses and Pharaoh and them Bible characters.

Wouldn't I have to give up chewing? Somehow, a halo don't seem to

fit my haid. It's most too bald to carry one graceful.... You may

do that again if you want to." This last, apropos of the promised

reward which had just been paid in full.

Arlie found she could manage a little laugh by this time.

"Well, if you ain't going to, we might as well go in and have a

look at that false-alarm patient of ours," he continued. "We'll

have to sit up all night with him. I was sixty-three yesterday.

I'm going to quit this doctor game. I'm too old to go racing

round the country nights just because you young folks enjoy

shooting each other up. Yes, ma'am, I'm going to quit. I serve

notice right here. What's the use of having a good ranch and some

cattle if you can't enjoy them?"