The Clarion

ound. Shrewdly set with an eye to theatrical effect, these phares of a night threw out from the darkness the square bulk of the man's figure, and, reflect

ny representatives of the farming country near by, for the event had been adverti

orical effect moistening lips and throat from a goblet at his elbow. Now, ready to resume, he raised a slow hand in an indescribable gesture

of rheumatism; you women, with the hidden agony gnawing at your breast" (his roving regard was swift, like a hawk, to mark down the sudden, involu

sodden, wondering, bent to him as the torch-fires bent to the breath of summer. With the subtle sense of the man who wrings his livelihood from human emoti

eet away; a solid-built, crisply outlined man of forty, carrying himself with a practical erectness, upon whose face there

e torches. "Blessed release from

ician had, a little, lost confidence in the power of his spell. His mind dwelt uneasily upon his well-garbed auditor. What was he doing there, with his kee

silvery in the silence, as she pressed close

I thank her for the word. Preaching, indeed! Preaching a blessed gospel, for this world of pain and suffering; a gospel of hope and happiness and joy. I offer you, here, now, this moment o

form railing. Behind the tricolored cheesecloth which screened him from the waist down something stirred. The ha

eakness, and cheats death of his prey. Oh, grave, where is thy victory? Oh, death, where is thy power? Overcome by my marvelous discovery! Harmless as water! Sweet on the tongue as honey! Potent as a miracle! By the grace of Heaven, which has bestowed this secret upon me, I have saved f

er, to glance about them nervously. Professor Certain had them. It needed but the first thrust of hand into

ease my

s voice was like a benign ha

er know you had a co

ll, g

yet ready. "Put your dollar back. There's enough t

and upright, made his way

ears, all twisted up with rheumatics. He came to me yesterday, begging for relief, and we began t

h!" Emotional explosives left over from the previous year's revival bu

ld mare," remarked a facetious-minded

It will do as much or more for any of you. And the price is Only One Dollar!" The voice double-capitalized the words. "Don't, for the sake of one hundre

n and out of the light, snatching from below the bottles handed up to him, and taking in the clinking silver and fluttering greenbacks. And still they came, that line of grotesques, hobbling, limping, spr

ny more of you try it on," he warned, as the thwarted profferer of the

ly part of the crowd had contributed to the levy. Mainly it was the men, whom the "spiel" had lured.

at dreadful malady, cancer? Hiding it, when help and cure are at their beck and call. Lady," he bent swiftly to the slattern under the t

he woman. "I ain't told no one yet. Ki

ing Mixture will keep up your strength, while the soothing, balmy oils drive out the poison, and heal up the so

rowd, and spoke earnestly to a younger woman, whose com

protested the younger woman

other in exaltation. "Think of i

ith a piteous gesture. "Oh, my God! D'

hear whut he sayed? Would he das

oman moved forward, clutc

alf a bottle to try

o my fixed professional rule. But, I'll tell you what I will do.

atiently for his price, the Professor found himself look

to take that

ng beset the corners of the professional brow. For just the f

ll the others I can get.

nce of the man who is a little alarmed,

olly. "Some day I might like

And here you are-Doctor.

d it," returne

ARE AT THEIR

peddler became the op

y cure. Sir," the splendid voice rose and soared as he addressed his newest client, "you follow the

ects could fairly feel the grilling at the pit of their collective stomach. One by one they came forward, the yellow-eyed, the pasty-faced feeders on fried breakfasts,

u can eat a cord of hickory for breakfast, knots and all,

w it was the ailments that we have always with us: backache, headache, indigestion and

f life! For that we pay a penalty. Yet we must not overpay the debt. To such as wish my private advice-private, I say, and sacredly confidential-" He broke off and leaned out over the railing. "Thousands have lived to bless the name of Professor Certain, and h

r was it the speaker's own uneasiness of spirit?-brought

ackmail on t

Professor Certain tautened. Should he accept it, or was it safer to ignore this pestilent disturber?

e thr

ned giant forced his way inward. He was

a man at the front. "Allus

bbler?" queried th

ke their own laws, when they want any; run their place to suit themselves. Ain't much

ge two years ago?" The newcomer's high,

als and letters from some of your

deous edged intonation in the word, like the

h in repressive deprecation. "We physicians

g nearer, but not again raising his eyes to the other's face. Instead, his gaze seemed fixed upon

to roost, Professor," said t

fessor, addressing the Hardscr

n away. They took

he edged almost imperceptibly nearer. He had noticed a fleck of red on the matted beard, where the lip had been bitten into. Also he saw

morpheean like a baby." He sagged a step forwar

ighter. Two other movements coincided, to the instant. From the curtain of cheesecloth the slight form of a boy shot upward, with brandished arms; and the square-built man reached the Hardscrabbler's jaw with a powerful and accurate swing. There was a scream of pain, a roar from the crowd, and an answering bellow from the quack in midair, for he had launche

Boy-ee! Has h

stranger curtly. "Keep the peo

on his legs, grasping

doctor?"

es

ave him? A

e torch

dark man had dropped to his k

ay there, some of you, so that I can get him to the hotel." Then, to the ot

osedly trotting along in his wake, while the Hardscrabbler, moaning from the pain of two broken ribs, was led away by a constable. Some distance b

o know by instinct where to be and what to do in the way of handling towels, wash-basin, and the other simple paraphernalia required. P

asked eagerly. "

the extenuation of the final "y" in the term, the physician for the first time noted a

esn't matter. Why did

ysician. "We'll get that scratch bound up,

nd during the process of binding the wound. "Boyee"

l up in that chair and keep watch on our patient while t

omprehension, the elfin girl took h

d Professor Certain, as s

thi

hat wo

l have

f the profe

tting him short. "So you cal

he Dayton Medical College." He sleeked do

A diploma-mill. What did

t's more, I'm a member of the American Academy of Surgeons, with a special diploma from St. Luke's Hospital of Niles, Michigan, and a certificate

e trimmings, haven't yo

ll bet. Name your own fee, now, and

on leave. Give your money to those poor devils you

you regulars for getting sore when you see us fellows cullin

me. But don't try t

thing for you in return fo

hen, if you will and dare. Wha

s my s

uor?

om

rph

lit

coloring matter, I sup

money," retor

ls for cancer? Arsenious aci

well that as anythi

hat mild method. It wasn't cancer at all; only a benign tumor. Your so

ll make m

't all comm

make me mad. Just the same, if it wa

persecutor quite undisturbed. "He seems a

softened abruptly. "He's

im up to th

damn

damn him. He seems to be a bit

quit at the end of this year, anyway. But I guess this ends it now

game pla

hundred and ten good dollars. And to-morrow's consultation is good for

h-pi

ting tired. And Boyee ought to have schooling. So, I'll settle down and try a regular proprietary trade with the Mixture and some other stuff I've got. I guess I can make printer's ink do the work. And there's millions in it if you once get a s

curi

nt agent or a medical

d and handed it over. It read,

e advised, then went to open the

red. "They told me Professor

t?" asked

I'm the editor of th

lad to see the Press. Of course you wo

ou wouldn't hardly expe

y else but me giv

favor our advertisers," said

ear, if this thing is handled right, and I think my

carry something about it. To

ure of Professor Andrew Leon Certain, the distinguishe

ifing. How

ith a wink. "You may send me two hundred and fifty copies of the paper. And, by the way, do

. And the article will be all right. I'll show you a proof. It mightn't be a bad notion for you to drop in at the ja

t my leaving, now?" Professor

. I'll ke

and untrammeled journalism, the boy awoke and looked about with fev

ound," she commanded.

the water which sh

my Dad?"

'll come back pret

yes upon her. "Will you st

tiny fingers touched his forehead, soothingly. "Yo

losed, but presently opened again. "I t

. Uncle Guardy scolds me for it. Not really, yo

e, the gentleman t

le Guardy because he

ood. But I like you bet

with dimpling complacency. "They

. "Am I going to die?"

f cours

be sorry

e me any more. And I want everybod

ot. It would be

her is a bad man," said the fair

the best man in the world." A brighter hue than fever burnt in his cheeks, a

. "Oh, don't! Please don't," she besought. "Uncle Guardy tol

on?" demanded Dr. Elliot

as a bad man," cried

was gentle, but very firm. "I don't recall s

e midget girl. "I know you do. You wouldn't have s

" he said finally. "I'm a little ashamed of you, as a nurse. Take your place the

d the autocrat of the sick-room,

rying," h

the merest gasp. The long

re. He was

sh. "But he-he-stopped loving me just for that minute.

r arm. "I like you awfully," he said. "An

oquette. "But we're going away to-nigh

I'll look for you

de," she

ily. "Little girl; little girl; I'd do anything in the world for you, l

with Dr. Elliot, had been a silent spectator of the little drama, now

physician. "That's all he

uman, under a faded shawl. Drawing aside the folds, the quack di

ess outside the jail, poor little tyke. So I picked her up, and" (with a sort of tender awk

? That's

so," replied the qu

u going to d

p her here with us. She's only seven, and her

issed my c

me pay your hotel bill, if

look at the boy in the morning. But he'll be all right. O

settle in and I'll go in for the regular proprietary

es

good, li

t your business," said Dr. Elliot dryly. "I'm on my way

e boy lay on his pillow, the girl was curled in her cha

's accommodation for her. So, there slept that night under one roof and at the charge of Professor Andrew L. Certain, five human being