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"Thank you," I said faintly "I’llahdo so with it Thank you"

Keziah beawhat appeared to be a shly annoyed rattlesnake I looked round frantically for some place to put it I didn’t dare throw it out of the ; Jemmy often played in the dooryard near the house

Finally, I pulled the big clear glass jar of salt over to the edge of the counter, and--holding the bag at arth--used my other hand to du into the jar and slammed the lid on it, then rushed to the other side of the room and collapsed on a stool, the backs of my knees sweaty with dread

I didn’t really h

Brianna poked her head through the door

"Ma?"

"Not all that well" My face evidently told her just how serious it was, for she ca

"Really bad?" she asked softly, and I nodded, unable to speak She let her breath out in a deep sigh

"Can I help?"

I let out an identical sigh, andof an idea--or rather, the return of an idea I’d had in the back ofis to open the leg--cut down deep through the muscle--and pour what penicillin I have left directly into the wounds It’s ainst bacterial infections if you can inject it, rather than give it orally Raw penicillin like this"--I nodded at the bottle--"is very unstable in the presence of acid It’s not likely enough would ood"

"That’s more or less what Aunt Jenny did, isn’t it? That’s whatmy palms unobtrusively over my knees I didn’t normally suffer from sweaty hands, but the feel of the amputation saas much too clear in my memory

"I’d have to do two or three deep cuts It would likely cripple hiive her a sineer a hypodere, did they?"

"Why didn’t you say so before?" she said cale, but I’d be really surprised if I can’t figure out soot?"

I stared at her, my mouth half open, then shut it with a snap

"A few hours, at least I thought if we didn’t get any improvement with the hot poultices, I’d have to either cut or a"

"Amputate!" All the blood drained out of her face "You can’t do that!"

"I can--buttheir skill

"Let me think, then" Her face was still pale, but the shock was passing as herto leave Jeone? Are you sure she isn’t just out in the hencoop?"

"No, I stopped there when I came up to the house I didn’t see her anywhere--and the kitchen fire is s had come to the house as usual to ain? I hoped Arch hadn’t suddenly been taken ill; that would just about put the cocked hat on things

"Where’s Je round for hih he was beginning to wander a bit, as small boys did

"Lizzie took him upstairs to see Da I’ll ask her to look after him for a while"

"Fine Oh!"

My exclamation made her turn back at the door, eyebrows raised in question

"Do you think you could take that"--I gestured distastefully at the big glass jar--"outside, darling? Dispose of it somewhere?"