"He is far gone in consumption," said the physician. "He cannot live over a month or two"
[Illustration: "There in his dear cabin were three tramps">[
[87] "He must live," sobbed the conscience-stricken mother. "He must live—0 God, he must live."
All that suddenly awakened mother's love could do was done. The skilful physician did his best, but it was the mother that saved him. She watched over him night and day; she studied his wishes and comfort in every way. She prayed by his bedside, and often asked God to forgive her for her long neglect. It was Yan's first taste of mother-love. Why she had ignored him so long was unknown. She was simply erratic, but now she awoke to his brilliant gifts, his steady, earnest life, already purposeful.
[XIII]
The Lynx
As winter waned, Yan's strength returned. He was wise enough to use his new ascendency to get books. The public librarian, a man of broad culture who had fought his own fight, became interested in him, and helped him to many works that otherwise he would have missed.