Sittin in Doc Horner’s office listening to the Doc laugh, was almost as humiliating as the beating he took from Mable. She had looked out her window just in time to see him stuff her bloomers into his pocket. She didn’t take notice of that rat, Archie, hightailing it down the alley, leaving him to face Mable’s wrath.

Doc Horner was bent over laughing, holding his side with one hand. “Wiber, tell me again what she said when she collered you.”

“Doc, that woman let out a string of cuss words as would sizzle bacon. Told me I didn’t have enough sense to spit down wind. And all the time she was beatin me with my own crutch she was neer as nakid as a branding iron.”

The Doc settled down to chuckling as he applied the last plaster above Wilber’s eye. “Wilber, I think you’re gonna live, but my advice to you is to stay away from the Longhorn, and Mable.”

The sun was setting when Wilber hobbled out of the Doc’s office. “Wilber!” called Archie from across the road. “You want to have some fun?”