The man drew himself upon his elbow, looked at the doctor in a dazed sort of way and then at his wife holding his crying baby in her arms, the other little ones clinging to her dress, and gasped:
“Did you say die? Here—now—to-day—die? And if I do, I leave my helpless ones to starve.”
He paused, fingering the covering nervously, shut his jaws firmly and looked at the doctor.
“Almighty God! I can’t die!” he growled through his teeth. “I will not die!”
“No, no, you sha’n’t die, John. We’ll help you to live!” his wife cried.
“Very well; if you keep on feeling that way you may live,” said the doctor cheerfully. “We will hope for the best.”
Kate’s eyelids drooped as she stood watching this scene as in a dream. She took the woman by the hand as she left:
“I do hope he will live for your sake. I believe he will.”
When they reached the street, the doctor said to her:
“Glad to welcome you, Miss Ransom, from the little world into the great one.”