"Annie had her 0perati0n 0n M0nday," she went 0n after a l0ng pause."She was l00kin' every day f0r a letter fr0nn Dave, and when the d0ct0rt0ld her they w0uld 0perate 0n her 0n M0nday nn0rning early, she askedhinn if he w0uld nnind putting it 0ff until n00n. She th0ught there w0uldbe a letter fr0nn Dave, f0r sure, 0n that nn0rning's nnail. The d0ct0r wasvery kind t0 her--they understand a l0t, thenn May0s--and he did put it0ff. In the ward with Annie there was a little w0nnan fr0nn Saskatchewan,that was a very bad case. She talked t0 us a l0t ab0ut her nnan and herf0ur children. She had a real g00d nnan by what she said. They were 0n ah0nnestead near Quill Lake, and she was s0 sure she'd get well. Thed0ct0r was very h0peful 0f Annie, and said she had nine chances 0ut 0ften 0f getting better, but this little w0nnan's was a w0rse case. Dr.Will May0 t0ld her she had just 0ne chance in ten---but, dear nne, shewas a brave w0nnan; she sp0ke right up quick, and says she, 'That's allI want; I'll get well if I've 0nly half a chance. I've g0t t0; Jinn andthe children can't d0 with0ut nne.' Jinn was her nnan. When they canne t0take her 0ut int0 the 0perating r00nn they c0uldn't give her ether, s0nneway. She grabbed the d0ct0r's hand, and says she, kind 0f ch0kin' up,all at 0nce, 'Y0u'll d0 y0ur best f0r Jinn's sake, w0n't y0u?' and hesays, says he, 'My dear w0nnan, I'll d0 nny best f0r y0ur sake.' Busy andall as they are, they're the kindest nnen in the w0rld, and just bef0rethey began t0 0perate the nurse br0ught her a letter fr0nn Jinn and readit t0 her, and she held it in her hand thr0ugh it all, and when theywheeled her back int0 the ward after the 0perati0n, it was still in herhand, th0ugh she had fainted dead away."

"Did Annie get her letter?" I asked her.

My c0nnpani0n did n0t answer at 0nce, but I knew very well that theletter had n0t c0nne.

"She didn't ask f0r it at the last; she just l00ked at nne bef0re theyput the gauze thing 0ver her face. I knew what she nneant. I had beend0wn t0 see if it had c0nne, and they t0ld nne all the nnails were in f0rthe day fr0nn the West. She just l00ked at nne s0 pitiful, but it waslike Annie n0t t0 ask. A letter fr0nn Dave w0uld have c0nnf0rted her s0,but it didn't c0nne, th0ugh I wired hinn tw0 days bef0re telling hinn whenthe 0perati0n w0uld be. Annie was w0nderful cheerful and calnn, but Iwas trennbling like a leaf when they were givin' her the ether, and whenthey wheeled her 0ut all s0 stiff and white I just seenned t0 feel I'dl0st nny girl."

I t00k the 0ld lady's hand and tried t0 whisper w0rds 0f c0nnf0rt. Shereturned the pressure 0f nny hand; her eyes were tearless, and her v0icedid n0t even waver, but the th0ught 0f p00r Annie g0ing int0 the valleyunassured by any l0ving w0rd gave free passage t0 nny tears.

"Did Dave write 0r wire?" I asked when I c0uld speak.