gh. That's the
only reason she answered that fool ad about me being in the market, so
to speak, fer a wife. That's how she come out. She must of been
locoed. You cain't blame _her_. She was all alone in the whole world,
but just one girl that knowed her. We got a letter from that girl--I
got it here in my pocket. We opened it and read it, Wid and me did,
yesterday. Her name's Annie Squires. But she's broke too, I reckon.
Now what are we a-goin' to do?"

"Have you ever talked the whole business over--you two--since she came
out?"

"Doc," said Sim Gage, "I told you, I tried my damnedest, and I just
couldn't. I says to myself, lady like she was, it wouldn't be right
fer a man like me to marry her noways on earth."

"And what did she say?"

Sim Gage began to stammer painfully. "I don't know what she would
say," said he. "I ain't never asked her none yet."

"Well, I reckon you'll have to," said Doctor Barnes slowly, after a
long time in thought; "if she lives."

"Lives? Doc, you don't mean to tell me she's that sick?"

"She isn't trying to fight very hard. When your patient would rather
die than live, you've got hard lines, as a doctor. It's hard lines
here more ways than one."

"Die--her!--What would _I_ do then, Doc?" asked Sim Gage, so simply
that Doctor Barnes looked at him keenly, gravely.

"It's not a question about you, you damn sagebrusher," said he at last,
gently. "Question is, what's best for her. If I didn't feel such a
woman was too good to be wasted I'd say, let her go; ethics be damned
out here. If she gets well she'll have to decide some time what's to
do about this whole business. That brings you into the question again.
It was a bad bet, but deceived as she was, she's put herself under your
protection. And mine!"

"You see," he added, "that's something that really doesn't come under
my profession, but it's something that's up to every decent man."

Mrs. Jensen came to the door, broom in hand. "You, Sim," said she,
"come in here!" She accosted him in hoarse whispers when he had obeyed.

"Look-a-here at this place!" said she. "Is this where a hog or a human
has been living? I've got things straightened around now, and don't
you dare muss 'em up. When that pore girl is able to get around again
I'm a-going to take her and show her where everything is--she'll keep
this house better blind than you did with your both eyes open. I've
got a aunt been blind twenty year, and sh