CHAPTER V
Mother and daughter lay for hours talking about the wonderful change that had come over their lives, like shadows changing into gold on the mountains. It was a fairy tale, full of romance. A prince had come, in a golden coach, to carry Cinderella away.
"What a blessing, Annie, that I came and ordered brandy. That's what saved him! As for ammonia, it's the first time I ever heard of it for snake-bite. When I was a girl it was used as smelling-salts. If old McKeel had put it to Mr. Wilber's nose, it might have done him good."
"He drank an awful lot of brandy, mother."
"Yes; in cases of snake-bite they can take bucketsful and not be drunk."
"But he was drunk, mother!"
"No, only his legs, and no wonder, after being bitten by a tiger-snake. However, it's a good thing for you he got over it."
"I don't see that, mother. If he hadn't got over it, I would have got the money, land, and houses all the same."
"And marry a low fellow like Alec! Fancy him riding in a carriage beside you!"