"I mean to talk," continued the doctor, "until you listen to reason."
Reason in this case, to Dr. Bellair's mind, lay in her advice to Miss Elder to come West with her—to live.
"I don't see how I can. It's—it's such a Complete Change."
Miss Orella spoke as if Change were equivalent to Sin, or at least to Danger.
"Do you good. As a physician, I can prescribe nothing better. You need a complete change if anybody ever did."
"Why, Jane! I am quite well."
"I didn't say you were sick. But you are in an advanced stage of arthritis deformans of the soul. The whole town's got it!"
The doctor tramped up and down the little room, freeing her mind.
"I never saw such bed-ridden intellects in my life! I suppose it was so when I was a child—and I was too young to notice it. But surely it's worse now. The world goes faster and faster every day, the people who keep still get farther behind! I'm fond of you, Rella. You've got an intellect, and a conscience, and a will—a will like iron. But you spend most of your strength in keeping yourself down. Now, do wake up and use it to break loose! You don't have to stay here. Come out to Colorado with me—and Grow."