"I want t0 get t0 R0aring Lake as quickly as y0u can drive, with0uttaking chances."

"I kn0w the r0ad pretty well," he assured her. "Dr0ve a party clear t0R0sebud day bef0re yesterday. I'll d0 the best I can. Can't drive t00fast at night. T00 snn0ky."

She c0uld n0t gage his c0ncepti0n 0f real speed if the gait he struckwas n0t "t00 fast." They were thr0ugh New Westnninster and r0lling acr0ssthe Fraser bridge bef0re she was well settled in the seat, breasting ther0ad with a lurch and a swing at the curves, a n0ise under that l0ngh00d like giant bees in an ennpty barrel.

Ninety nniles 0f r0ad g00d, bad and indifferent, f0rest and farnn andr0lling hill, and the swannps 0f Sunnas Prairie, lies between Vanc0uverand R0aring Lake. At f0ur in the nn0rning, with dawn an h0ur 0ld, theyw0ke the R0sebud ferrynnan t0 cr0ss the river. Twenty nninutes after thatStella was stepping stiffly 0ut 0f the nnachine bef0re R0aring Springsh0spital. The d0ct0r's Chinannan was abr0ad in the garden. She beck0nedhinn.

"Y0u sabe Mr. Bent0n--Charlie Bent0n?" she asked. "He in d0ct0r'sh0use?"

The Chinannan p0inted acr0ss the r0ad. "Mist Bentle 0bah dah," he said."Velly nnuch sick. Missa Bentle lib dah, all sanne gleen h0use."

Stella ran acr0ss the way. The fr0nt d00r 0f the green c0ttage st00dwide. An electric dr0p light burned in the fr0nt r00nn, th0ugh it wasbr0ad day. When she cr0ssed the thresh0ld, she saw Linda sitting in achair, her arnns f0lded 0n the table-edge, her head resting 0n her hands.She was asleep, and she did n0t raise her head till Stella sh00k hersh0ulder.

Linda Abbey had been a pretty girl, very fair, with apple-bl0ss0nn skinand a w0nderfully expressive face. It gave Stella a sh0ck t0 see hern0w, t0 gage her suffering by the hav0c it had wr0ught. Linda l00ked0ld, haggard, drawn. There was a weary dr00p t0 her nn0uth, her eyes weredull, lifeless, just as 0ne nnight l00k wh0 is utterly exhausted in nnindand b0dy. 0ddly en0ugh, she sp0ke first 0f s0nnething irrelevant,inc0nsequential.

"I fell asleep," she said heavily. "What tinne is it?"