t made
yet, Jim jumped right up and said he'd go and see.

Mrs. Motherwell had gone to her room very much concerned with her own
troubles. Why should Tom fall into evil ways? she asked herself--a boy
who had been as economically brought up as he was. Other people's boys
had gone wrong, but she had alway thought that the parents were to
blame some way. Then she thought of Arthur; perhaps he should have the
doctor. She had been slow to believe that Polly was really sick--and
had had cause for regret. She would send for the doctor, in the
morning. But what was Pearl doing so long in the kitchen?--She could
hear her moving around--Pearl must go to her bed, or she would not be
able to get up in the morning.

Pearl was just going out of the kitchen with her hat and coat on when
Mrs. Motherwell came in.

"Where are you going, Pearl," she asked.

"To git someone to go for the doctor," Pearl answered stoutly.

"Is he worse?" Mrs. Motherwell asked quickly.

"He can't git worse," Pearl replied grimly. "If he gits worse he'll be
dead."

Mrs. Motherwell called Tom at once, and told him to bring the doctor as
soon as he could.

"Where's my overcoat mother?" Tom called from the hall.

"Take your father's" she said, "he is going to get a new one while he
is in Winnipeg, that one's too small for him now. I put yours outside
to air. It had a queer smell on it I thought, and now hurry, Tom. Bring
Dr. Barner. I think he's the best for a serious case. Dr. Clay is too
young, Anyway, the old man knowns far more than he does, if you can
only get him sober."

Pearl's heart sank.

"Arthur's as good as dead," she said as she went to the granary, crying
softly to herself. "Dr. Clay is the only man who could save him, and
they won't have him."

The sun had gone down and heavy clouds filled the sky. Not a star was
to be seen, and the night was growing darker and darker.

A sound of wheels came from across the creek, coming rapidly down the
road. The old dog barked viciously. A horse driven at full speed dashed
through the yard; Pearl ran shouting after, for even in the gathering
darkness she recognised the one person in all the world who could save
Arthur. But the wind and the barking of the dog drowned her voice, and
the sound of the doctor's wheels grew fainter in the distance.

Only for a moment was Pearl dismayed.

"I'll catch him coming back," she said, "if I have to tie binding twine
across the road to tangle up Pleurisy's