The girl took a quick step backward, then stretched out two
impulsive hands. "Oh, no, no you're not! Why--the doctors, you know,
they do everything now."

The woman shook her head. "That's what I thought when I come here.
That's why I come. But I saw the biggest doctor of them all
today--they all say he's the best there is--and he said right out
'twas no use to do anything. He said 'twas--hopeless."

Her voice broke on that word. "You see," she hurried on, "I wouldn't
care so much, seems like I wouldn't care 't all, if I could get
there first! If I could see the sun go down behind them just one
night! If I could see the black shadows come slippin' over 'em just
once! And then, if just one morning--just once!--I could get up and
see the sunlight come a streamin'--oh, you know how it looks! You
know what 'tis I want to see!"

"Yes; but why can't you? Why not? You won't go--your eyesight will
last until you get back home, won't it?"

"But I can't go back home; not now."

"Why not?" demanded the girl. "Why can't you go home?"

"Why, there ain't no money, my dear," she explained, patiently.
"It's a long way off--Colorado is, and there ain't no money. Now,
George--George is my brother-in-law--he got me the money to come;
but you see it took it all to come here, and to pay them doctors
with. And George--he ain't rich, and it pinched him hard for me to
come--he says I'll have to wait until he gets money laid up again,