"It's a nerve-
centre, of course!" Then to the others, he ran on, glibly: "The
treatment was simple, but it took time. You see, I had to first
trace his bedildo to its source, like this." He thrust a finger
into Wally's back and ploughed a furrow upward. "You see?" He
paused, triumphantly. "A fore-shortened bedildo! It ain't well
yet."
"Can a man run fast with one of them?" inquired Willie.
"Certainly, cer-tain-ly--provided, of course, that the percentage
of spelldiffer in the blood offsets it."
Both cowboys came closer now, and hung eagerly upon every word.
"And does it do--that?" they questioned, while Fresno suggested
that it was not easy to tell without bleeding the patient.
"No, no! You can hear the spelldiffers." Glass motioned to
Willie.
"Put your ear to his chest. Hear anything?"
"Hearts poundin' like a calf's at a brandin'."
"Which proves it!" proudly asserted the trainer. "Barrin'
accidents, Mr. Speed will be in the pink of condition by
Saturday."
The cow-men beamed benignantly.
"That's fine!"
"We are sure pleased, and we've got something for you, Mr.
Pages:
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172