The Nevada County picayune., 1911-08-25

seemed to be so internally careful or her. There was something mysterious about the whole outfit-when a fel- low took time to think 1t over of an evening with his pipe. And thinking 1t over, with and without the pipe, had been Bills sole occupation for matter of three months, during which, the more he thought of it, the stran- ger it seemed to grow.
 Bill and the aunts had talked about every phase of the case-so far as Bill himself was concerned. Cues toned by the aunts-nicely, gently in the most simple and straightforward way in the world, but soulsearching and practical. when he came to think of it. Bill had been turned inside out ana studied In all his tissues With the microscope. At one or another time he had told them-when he came to think of it-everything of impof= tanee that had happened since the day of his birth. They would dis cuss him-those aunts of hers-before his very face, as if he were not there at all with mods of approval to each other whenever they were specially pleased with any of Bills various ac- complishments or virtues They seemed to be particularly gratified when he gave them an account of his family tree, nodding with extra vigor, as much as to say that there was no need of going into that subject any farther. Yes, yes. Good old COnnec- ticut family-farmers, you know, but with excellent connections. and not undistinguished in history. When they discussed him in that strange way Bill seemed to feel rather queer, and yet he could not bring himself to challenge it. They did it in such a nice little way that Bill even at times imagined for a minute that he was not the party under fire at all; that ho himself was one of the aunts, and that the man they were talking about was some fellow in New Jersey. But there was yet thing that Bill had not given up to them; thing that one way or another, he could net bring himself to disclose, it was alto gether such a delicate and personal matter with himself.
 No doubt he would have told them long ago about the silver jaw had he not feared that the disclosure would prove a shock to Angelique. And yet his conscience would not let him ress while the jaw remained a secret.
 Was it right for man with a sill yer jaw to marry the finest girl in the world without telling her that that left upper maxillary of his was made of silver instead of bone? If she took him with the understanding that his jaw was of the usual manufacture, would not the contract be void, ac- cording to the law of contract as he found 1t expounded in the books?
 It was indeed a knotty problem; all together too knotty for Bills as yet undeveloped legal penetration, and he decided in the depths of his woe to seek out Doctor Cringer and get his advice on the question. Doctors are always good counsel, thought Bill. especially when they have cut three or four pieces out of a mans anatomy and have set him up again as good as new.
 When Bill had told him the story, being careful to omit the lady's name, Cringer became thoughtful mo ment
 Has she got any money?"
 "No," said Bill She lives In a big boarding house on the avenue"
 Then" announced Cringer, with prompt decision. your course Is clear I assume that you are looking for wife and not for a bank book In which case. up and tell her that you have silver jaw. If she cares straw for you she won't let a little detail like that interfere for a min ute with the business She will go to you like a horse to his oats. If she balks you can be certain that she doesn't care as much for you as she cares for a baby cat. And in that case, my boy. you'll be better off with out her. Take my own case, for in stance. When was courting-but come back. Bill. and let me know how she takes it. will you?"
 Bill went away no better than he had come To him Cringer's advice had small comfort in it. If she did not care enough of him to take him with the silver jaw as boots in the bargain. he had no desire to be in formed of the fact He was anything but hankering for proof positive that she was not the square little. nice little girl he thought her And be sides all that. the business had run along so smoothly and SO fast that 1t would be a shame to spoil it now Hang the silver jaw, anyway!
 But as Cringers advice worked it. self slowly into the texture of his mind. he began 10 take another view of the question, It was possible, after all, that Cringer was right. It was just possible that she had been fool ;po oIt thte t{,,,o