\"Well,onedayIan\'oleDocGurney,wewereinthere,andIundertooktoshowBibbshowtorunhismachine。Hetoldmetolookout,butIwouldn\'tlisten,andIdidn\'tlookout——andthat\'showIgotmyhandhurt,tryin\'toshowBibbshowtodosomethingheknewhowtodoandIdidn\'t。MademesomadIjustwouldn\'tevenadmittomyselfitWAShurt——andso,byandby,oleDocGurneyhadtotakekindo\'radicalmeasureswithme。He\'sarightgooddoctor,too。
Don\'tyouthinkso,MissVertrees？\"
\"Yes。\"
\"Yes,heisso！\"Sheridannowhadtheairofaramblingtalkerandgossipwithalldayonhishands。\"TakehimonBibbs\'scase。Iwastalkin\'aboutBibbs\'scasewithhimthismorning。Well,you\'dlaughtohearthewayoleGurneytalksaboutTHAT！\'CourseheISjustasmuchafriendasheisdoctor——andhetakesasmuchinterestinBibbsasifhewasinthefamily。HesaysBibbsisn\'tanywaysbadoffYET;andhethinkshecouldstandthepaceandgetfatonitif——well,thisiswhat\'dmadeYOUlaughifyou\'dbeenthere,MissVertrees——honestitwould！\"Hepausedtochuckle,andstoleaglanceather。Shewasgazingstraightbeforeheratthewall;herlipswereparted,and——visibly——shewasbreathingheavilyandquickly。Hefearedthatshewasgrowingfuriouslyangry;buthehadledtowhathewantedtosay,andhewenton,determinednowtosayitall。Heleanedforwardandalteredhisvoicetooneofconfidentialfriendliness,thoughinithestillmaintainedatonewhichindicatedthatoleDocGurney\'sopinionwasonlyajokehesharedwithher。\"Yes,sir,youcertainlywould\'a\'laughed！Why,thatolemanthinksYOUgotsomethingtodowithit。You\'llhavetoblameitonhim,younglady,ifitmakesyoufeellikestartin\'outtowhipsomebody！He\'sactuallygotTHIStheory:hesaysBibbsgottogettin\'betterwhileheworkedoverthereattheshopbecauseyoukepthimcheeredupandfeelin\'good。Andhesaysifyoucouldmanagetojuststandhimhangin\'aroundalittle——maybenotmuch,butjustSOMEtimes——again,hebelievedit\'ddoBibbsamightyloto\'good。
\'Course,that\'sonlywhatthedoctorsaid。Me,Idon\'tknowanythingaboutthat;butIcansaythismuch——IneversawanysuchaMENTALimprovementinanybodyinmylifeasIhavelatelyinBibbs。Iexpectyou\'dfindhimagooddealmoreentertainingthanwhatheusedtobe——andIknowit\'sakindofembarrassingthingtosuggestafterthewayhepiledinoverherethatdaytoaskyoutostandupbeforethepreacherwithhim,butaccordin\'tooleDocGURNEY,he\'sgotyouonhisbrainsobad——\"