Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 150: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

138 An Indian Brave. dians, “and I almost fear to come into your pres- ence.” | “Fear!” repeated the medicine man. “Why for fear me? Ino kill. I make well. You un’stand?” “Yes,” answered Cuthbert, “but you are so ter- rible in appearance, doctor.” The grin on the old man’s face became more hor- rible. “Ah! me one big terror. So!” And he threw out his long talons and shook his shaggy mane and banged his instruments. “Altogether this medicine man is something I wouldn’t have missed for a good deal,” said Cuth- bert to himself. “I count this,” he said aloud, “a proud moment when I can stand in the presence of so renowned a doctor.” | Flattery accomplishes wonders in this world, and Cuthbert was really as able to spread it on as though he had been on a trip to Limerick and Blarney Castle. By degrees he melted the reserve of the big med- icine—he praised his appearance, asked many ques- tions that tickled the ancient humbug, and quite won his heart by calling him, as if inadvertantly, doctor! The medicine man felt the high compliment—he - knew that among the whites a doctor must be learned in his profession, and is usually looked up to with reverence. It was a clever inspiration on Cuthbert’s part to thus honor one whose whole lite had been spent in quackery. “Ha! White ae know somethings!’’ said the old medicine man, at last, with a pleased grin. “Ugh! Me like white boy! My little white brother very young. Oh, so very young! But he very wise. Good! White boy come. I show him,” ConniclooOokks.€©