may have helped; but, Anne, if I had not stayed at Allonby’s last night and fought death hand to hand, that woman would have died before morning. I tried an experiment that was certainly never tried in Four Winds before. I doubt if it was ever tried anywhere before outside of a hospital. It was a new thing in Kingsport hospital last winter. I could never have dared try it here if I had not been absolutely certain that there was no other chance. I risked it—and it succeeded. As a result, a good wife and mother is saved for long years of happiness and usefulness. As I drove home this morning, while the sun was rising over the harbor, I thanked God that I had chosen the profession I did. I had fought a good fight and won—think of it, Anne, won, against the Great Destroyer. It’s what I dreamed of doing long ago when we talked together of what we wanted to do in life. That dream of mine came true this morning.”
“Was that the only one of your dreams that has come true?” asked Anne, who knew perfectly well what the substance of his answer would be, but wanted to hear it again.
“You know, Anne-girl,” said Gilbert, smiling into her eyes. At that moment there were certainly two perfectly happy people sitting on the doorstep of a little white house on the Four Winds Harbor shore.
Presently Gilbert said, with a change of tone, “Do I or do I not see a full-rigged ship sailing up our lane?”
