"Solomon! Solomon!" she implored him. "Tell me, only speak to me and tell me what is the matter!"
"'Y 'ou'," replied Mr. Baxter vehemently, but not very intelligibly.
"What?" Miss Roberts hurried to his side and, bending, gazed up into his face which was still turned floorward.
"'Y 'ou'; I 'aw' 'uh' 'y 'ou'," answered Mr. Baxter again, this time pointing down his throat.
Miss Roberts saw that there was some trouble with his mouth. It was a relief to find that her lover was of sound mind. From his broken speech, she was beginning to fear some new, strange form of paralysis, but his wild lunges about the room relieved those apprehensions. It was only his mouth, then. She smiled sympathetically.
"I understand," she said; "it is the toothache. It is very painful, while it lasts, but I have something that will stop it. Just shut your mouth and make yourself as comfortable as you can, and I will get it."
But Mr. Baxter shook his head sadly.
"I 'aw' 'uh' 'ih," he answered.
Then Aunt Jane's courage began to fail.
"Can't shut it! Oh, Solomon, Solomon! What is it?"