As to Reuben, who was already looking much brighter than the preceding
night, the doctor said:
"He may get well," and left a little medicine.
Perez, who had been in the room, followed him out of doors.
"Do you think my brother will get well?" he asked.
"I think so, if he does not have to go back to jail."
"He will not go back unless I go with him," said Perez.
"Well, I think it most likely you will," replied the doctor dryly. "On
the whole, I should say his prospect of long life was better than yours,
if I am speaking to Perez Hamlin, the mob captain."
"You mean I shall be hung?"
"And drawn and quartered," amended the doctor, grimly. "That is the
penalty for treason, I believe."
"Perhaps," said Perez. "We shall see. There will be fighting before
hanging. At any rate, if I'm hung, it will be as long as it's short,
for Reub would have died if I hadn't got him out of jail."
The doctor gathered up the reins.
"I want to thank you for coming," said Perez. "You know, I s'pose,
that we are very poor, and can't promise much pay."
"If you'll see that your mob doesn't give me such a serenade as it did
Squire Woodbridge last night, I'll call it square," said the doctor,
and drove off.
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