and flung an old slicker aside that he might search beneath it.
"Back early, aren't you?" he asked, for sake of saying something.

Andy's attitude was not as casual as he would have had it.

"Say, maybe you better go on up to the house," he began
diffidently. "I guess your wife wants to see yuh, maybe."

"Just as a good wife should," grinned Chip. "What's the matter?
Kid fall off the porch?"

"N-o-o--I brought out a wire from Chicago. It's from a doctor
there--some hospital. The--Old Man got hurt. One of them cussed
automobiles knocked him down. They want you to come."

Chip had straightened up and was hooking at Andy blankly. "If
you're just--"

"Honest," Andy asserted, and flushed a little. "I'll go tell some
one to catch up the team--you'll want to make that 11:20, I take
it." He added, as Chip went by him hastily, "I had the agent wire
for sleeper berths on the 11:20 so--"

"Thanks. Yes, you have the team caught up, Andy." Chip was
already well on his way to the house.

Andy waited till he saw the Little Doctor come hurriedly to the
end of the porch overlooking the pathway, with the telegram
fluttering in her fingers, and then led his horse down through
the gate and to the stable. He yanked the saddle off, turned the