my course; then, telling Ryman that I hoped to see him

offering at the same time to cure the invalid for a fee, which

generally amounted to about all the ponies his family possessed. If

the proposition was accepted and the fee paid over, the family, in

case the man died, was to have indemnity through the death of the

doctor, who freely promised that they might take his life in such

event, relying on his chances of getting protection from the furious

relatives by fleeing to the military post till time had so assuaged

their grief that matters could be compromised or settled by a