"H'm, heart trouble, eh? Well, that's serious. Are yez all affected the same way?"
"Yes, all of us. We can't work or do anything, the attacks are so bad."
The young women were forced to turn away their heads at these words, while one stuffed her handkerchief into her mouth to keep from laughing outright.
"My, my!" and Abner thoughtfully stroked his chin. "But look here, young gal, it'll be ye'r stummick that'll be troublin' ye instid of ye'r heart if ye swaller that handkerchief. I can't do nuthin' with that kind of trouble."
The girl's face grew scarlet as she hurriedly withdrew her handkerchief, while her companions laughed heartily.
"Laff all yez like," Abner encouraged. "That's part of me cure. It's jist what yez need."
"But is that all you have to say about our real trouble?" the spokesman demanded.
"Well, now, first of all I want the fees. Twenty-five cents fer each; that'll make a dollar. Thank yez. That's better," he continued, as he slipped the hill into his pocket, "I kin now prescribe fer yez. But, remember, yez must follow the directions I give yez, or else yez'll git a dang sight worse than yez are at present."
"Fire ahead," was the reply. "We're all willing to do as you say."
"That's good. I allus like obedient patients. Now, the first thing I want yez to do is to go an' git two licences. Ye'll have to pay five dollars apiece fer 'em. The Government's more expensive than I am."