"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
long legs.
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