“And now you’ve made up your mind that all your struggle has been in vain and that the end is in sight. Now I can’t tell where that end lies, Miss Nelson, but it looks to me as if it had retired into the far distance. You are going to keep on taking care of this man, of course. He needs you badly, in the first place, and the toil and stress of it will be good for your soul. And then saving a life is tremendously interesting. There’s nothing like it. But your new life is only to begin when this job is finished.”
“I––I don’t understand,” said the girl, watching him eagerly.
“When you’re through with this case, Stefan will bring you back to Carcajou. 275 There he’ll put you on the train and send you to me. I can assure you that my wife will welcome you. She’s that sort, strong and friendly and helpful. My poor little chaps don’t see very much of their daddy, but they’ve got a mother who’s a wonder, to make up for it. Now our village can’t yet afford a trained nurse, though some day I’m going to have a little hospital and two or three of them. The railroad will help. But in the meanwhile you’re going to work for me, at little more than a servant’s wages. You’re quick and intelligent and have a pair of gentle and capable hands. There are scores and scores of little houses and shacks where your presence would be simply invaluable. My wife tries it, but she can’t do it all, with the kids and the husband to look after. I shall work you like a horse, when you get strong enough, but every bit of the work will help some poor devil. My wife can give you a bed, a seat at our table and plenty of good wise friendship. In all this you’re going to give away a lot more than you will receive. How does it strike you?”
But Madge was weeping silently, with her face held in her hands. The doctor had certainly not tried to make his proposition very attractive, and yet she felt as if she were emerging 276 from deep waters in which she had been suffocating. Now there was pure air to breathe and there would always be God’s sunlight to cheer one and bring blessed warmth. From the slough of despond she was being drawn into the glory of hope.
“I shall try,” she promised. “Oh, how hard I’m going to try! It––it seems just like some wonderful dream. But––but can I really earn all this––are you sure that it isn’t––”
“Charity on my part?” interrupted the doctor. “Not a bit, Miss Nelson. We’re scantily provided with women in these new countries. And there are enough poor fellows who get hurt in the mines, or on the railroad, to give you plenty of employment without counting the regular settlers. A good woman’s face at their side may make the end easier for some of them and help others get well quicker.”
“If––if you are very sure––”
“I know what I’m talking about. You see, Miss Nelson, there is really no need of any one despairing in one of those big cities, so long as there is enough strength and courage left to get out of them. In this great expanse of wilderness toilers are needed, but we can’t use mollycoddles. The men have to 277 hew and dig and plow, and need women to work at their sides, to look after the injured, to teach the little ones, to keep the rough crowd civilized and human. More than all they are needed to become the mothers of a strong breed engaged in the conquest of a new world, one that is being made first with the axe and the hoe and in which the victory represents germinating seed and happy usefulness. Countries such as this are not suited to the dross of humanity. We cannot find employment for the weak, the lazy, or the shiftless. The first of these are to be pitied, of course, but we cannot help them. To the red-blooded and the clean of heart it offers all that sturdy manhood and womanhood can desire. Surely you can see how wide our horizons are, how full of promise is this new world that stretches out its welcoming arms to you!”
“I see––I see it all,” answered the girl. “Oh, what a glorious vision it is! How can I ever thank you?”
“You don’t have to,” replied the man, sharply. “If you decide to accept my offer I will be the one to feel grateful.”