, oneofthetribeofSilva, eightyearsold, keepingwatch, -callousedhanduponhishotforeheadandfelthispulse."Youlikadaeat?" sheasked.

, andhewonderedthatheshouldeverhavebeenhungryinhislife.

"I'msick, Maria," hesaidweakly."Whatisit? Doyouknow?"

"Grip," sheanswered.", to-morrowcaneatmaybe."

Martinwasnotusedtosickness, andwhenMariaandherlittlegirllefthim, , withrearingbrainandeyesthatachedsothathecouldnotkeepthemopen, hemanagedtogetoutofbed, , , , andhemurmuredtohimself, "Maria, yougettadamilkaranch, allrighta, allright."

Thenherememberedhislong-buriedpastofyesterday.

Itseemedalife-timesincehehadreceivedthatletterfromtheTranscontinental, , andshotithard, 'tstarvedhimself, hewouldn', .

"Whatdoesitprofitamantowriteawholelibraryandlosehisownlife?" hedemandedaloud."-houseandledger, themonthlysalary, andthelittlehomewithRuth."

Twodayslater, havingeatenaneggandtwoslicesoftoastanddrunkacupoftea, heaskedforhismail, butfoundhiseyesstillhurttoomuchtopermithimtoread.

"Youreadforme, Maria," hesaid."Nevermindthebig, ."

"Nocan," wastheanswer."Teresa, shegotoschool, shecan."

SoTeresaSilva, agednine, -writerpeople, .

"'Weofferyoufortydollarsforallserialrightsinyourstory,'" Teresaslowlyspelledout, "'providedyouallowustomakethealterationssuggested.'"

"Whatmagazineisthat?" Martinshouted."Here, giveittome!"

Hecouldseetoread, now, , andthestorywas "TheWhirlpool," , , theywouldtakeitandsendhimfortydollarsonreceiptofhisanswer.