"Yes," he said dryly, "I have some left. Maybe seven hundred dollars or some such matter. If I had my legs left it would be enough, or more than enough. I wouldn't ask odds of anybody if I was the way I was before that train went off the track. I'd lost every shot I had in the locker, but I'm not very old yet--some years to leeward of forty--there was more money to be had where that came from and I meant to have it. And then--well, then this happened to me." "I know. And to think that you was comin' down here on purpose to see me when it did happen. Seems almost as if I was to blame, somehow." "Nonsense! Nobody was to blame but the engineer that wrecked the train and the three hundred pound woman that fell on my legs. And the engineer was killed, poor fellow, and the woman was--well, she carried her own punishment with her, I guess likely. Anyhow, I should call it a punishment if I had to carry it. There, there, Sarah! Let's talk about somethin' else. You do your dishes and, long as you won't let me help you, I'll hop-and-go-fetch-it out to that settee in the front yard and look at the scenery. Just think! I've been in Bayport almost four months and haven't been as far as that gate yet--except when they lugged me in past it, of course. And I don't recall much about that." "I guess not, you poor boy. And I saw them bringin' you in, all stretched out, with your eyes shut, and as white as---- Oh, my soul and body! I don't want to think about it, let alone talk about it." "Neither do I, Sarah, so we won't. Do you realize how little I know of what's been goin' on in Bayport since I was here last? And do you realize how long it has been since I _was_ here?" "Why, yes, I do, Sears. It's been almost six years; it will be just six on the tenth of next September." The speech was illuminating. He looked at her curiously. "You do keep account of my goin's and comin's, don't you, old girl?" he said. "Better than I do myself." "Oh, it means more to me than it does to you. You live such a busy life, Sears, all over the world, meetin' everybody in all kinds of places. For me, with nothin' to do but be stuck down here in Bayport--well, it's different with me--I have to remember. Rememberin' and lookin' ahead is about all I have to keep me interested." He was silent for a moment. Then he said: "It looks as if rememberin' was all I will be likely to have. Think of it, Sarah! Four months in Bayport and I haven't been to the post-office. That'll stand as a town record, I'll bet." "And--and you'll keep up your courage, Sears? You won't let yourself get blue and discouraged, for my sake if nobody else's?" He nodded. "I couldn't, Sarah," he said earnestly. "With you around I'd be ashamed to."