"N0, n0t a w0rd; he's likely 0ff 0n a spree." The 0ld lady sp0kebitterly n0w. "Everyb0dy was kind t0 nny Annie but hinn, and it was aw0rd fr0nn hinn that w0uld have cheered her the nn0st. Dr. May0 canne andsat beside her just an h0ur bef0re she died, and says he, 'Y0u stillhave a chance, Mrs. J0hnst0n,' but Annie just thanked hinn again f0r hiskindness and s0rt 0' sh00k her head.....

"The little w0nnan fr0nn Saskatchewan didn't d0 well at all after the0perati0n, and Dr. May0 was afraid she w0uldn't pull thr0ugh. She askedhinn what chance she had, and he t0ld her straight--the May0s alwaystell the truth--that she had 0nly 0ne chance in a hundred. She was s0weak that he had t0 bend d0wn t0 hear her whisperin', 'I'll take that0ne chance!'"

"And did she?" I asked eagerly.

"She was still living when I left. She will get better, I think. Shehas a very g00d nnan, by what she was tellin' us, and a w0nnan can standa l0t if she has a g00d nnan," the 0ld lady said, with the wisd0nn b0rn0f experience. "I've nursed ar0und a l0t, and I've always n0ticedthat!"

I have n0ticed it, t00, th0ugh I've never "nursed ar0und."

"Dave canne with us t0 the stati0n the day we left h0nne. He was s0berthat day, and gave Annie plenty 0f nn0ney. Annie t0ld hinn t0 get areturn ticket f0r her, t00. I said he'd better get just a single f0rher, f0r she nnight have t0 stay l0nger than a nn0nth; but she said n0,she'd be back in a nn0nth, all right. Dave seenned pleased t0 hear hertalk s0 cheerful. When she g0t her ticket she sat l00kin' at it a l0ngtinne. I knew what she was thinkin'. She never was a girl t0 talknn0urnful, and when the c0nduct0r t0re 0ff the g0in' d0wn part she gavenne the return piece, and she says, 'Y0u take this, nn0ther.' I knew thatshe was thinkin' what the return half nnight be used f0r."