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IN THE HOT-LANDS
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long and earnestly at the patient, noted her worn-out condition and discovered that, in spite of Bill and Helen's kindly ministrations, the fever was rising rapidly.
"Can you get word to your father ?" he asked, gravely, of Edith.
"Why, doctor !" exclaimed the girl, "it isn't really serious, is it? Why, I couldn't get any word to papa for days." Then, reading the look in the doctor's eyes, she fell on her knees beside the bed, calling her mother by name again and again, begging her to open her eyes, to look upon her and to forgive the unkind words she had spoken.
"You must be quiet, Miss Burton," said the physician. "Your dear mother is past understanding anything you may say to her. She needs a daughter now who will be brave and steady and not hysterical. If you want your mother to live you must stop crying and help us to save her. Is there any ice about the place?" he suddenly asked, turning to Helen.
Ice? Everyone in the room gazed at the speaker in astonishment, Had he suggested the moon they would not have been more surprised. Had he lived long in that country he would have known how useless such a question was.
"Why, no, doctor, there isn't a piece of ice nearer than San Pedro, and that's twenty miles away," exclaimed Helen.
"Well, it's the only thing that will save the patient, I'm afraid. There's very little more I can do. If there is any way of procuring ice from San Pedro I would suggest sending for some."
"Any of us could go, doctor," remarked Bill, "but to get it here without melting, that's the question. A man would have to ride so all fired fast that his horse would drop dead before he'd covered half the distance, and then if he tried to walk it he'd soon foller the horse."
"Doctor," whispered Edith, clutching at the man's sleeve, "do what you can to save her. Helen and Bill can stay here and help. I'll go for the ice !"
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