UNFAIR COMPETITION 105 



with Dr. Asa, but I succeeded in keeping out of 

 the mix-up so far as real action went. 



Asa now absolutely refused to go on a call by 

 himself, and even on a short call in town he would 

 take me along with him. Neok had threatened 

 bodily violence should they ever meet face to face, 

 and Asa was taking no chances. In that country, 

 in those days, bodily violence meant a shooting 

 affair, and I did not relish the part I had to play. 

 However, I could not very well forsake my 

 legitimate partner at so critical a time. 



The office which we occupied at that time was 

 a small, wooden affair, probably ten by twelve 

 feet floor space and one story high. On top of 

 the roof, just on the edge of front peak, Asa had 

 mounted the bleached skull of a horse, with an 

 electric light globe in each orbital fossa. At night 

 we would switch on these lights; it made some 

 sign, believe me. 



Dr. Asa claimed that the skull was that of a 

 running horse by the name of Major Dangerfield 

 who had died while in his care. Whenever any- 

 one remarked about the peculiar method of 

 advertising, Asa would say, "Yep ; proud to say 

 that's old Major Dangerfleld's cranium. I had 

 to do some heavy surgery on him, but he couldn't 

 live." 



As I sat in the office one night reading, I was 

 nearly scared out of my wits by what seemed to 

 be a loud explosion on our roof. I jumped out 

 through the front door and, looking up, I failed 

 to see the lights in the eye-sockets of "Major 

 Dangerfield's cranium;" neither could I distin- 



