woman sit by the little couch and the man presses the rubber bulb and
sprays the air about the sick boy.

He will take no medicine. Never before did he refuse to obey. But now
he is in deeper matters. It requires all his strength and all his
thoughts to get his breath. As for medicine, he will not take it. For
the spray he is grateful. His beautiful eyes open gloriously when a
breath has come without that hard tugging for it.

At eight in the morning the man and the woman eat--a cup of coffee and
a nubbin of bread. The mother of Esther arrives. She too is terrified
by the ordeal through which the child is passing.

"Go to the head-quarters, David," she says. "You are needed. Pa says
so. I will stay all day,"

"Oh, Mother Wandrell, what do you think?"

"Here is your Dr. Floddin, ask him."

The doctor speaks sadly. "He is much worse. What has happened?"

"The fires went out," answers Lockwin.

"Get some flaxseed at once. Get a stove in here. These fine houses
kill many people. Keep the body enswathed in the double poultice, but
don't let the emulsion touch his skin directly. What is the effect of
the medicine? I see he has taken a little. The bottleful is not going
fast enough."