Re: Dream Woman (Wilkie Collins in America) Part One: The doctor had not been settled more than six months in his rural hospital practice, when he was sent for to a neighboring town to help the resident doctor there with the case of a rare and fatal illness. After the work was over, the doctor's motorcycle broke down under him in the middle of the ride home. Being deprived of the cycle's service, he started to the nearest establishment on foot, a place a mile or two back on the road which was a very lonely highway. The grain fields stretched out to the feet of the distant mountains. The day was clear and warm. The doctor had been in the mood for riding, but now was walking, pushing the motorcycle, and sweating. He soon found the house he was looking for. A thin woman in overalls waved from the porch. She was not above kindness. She was willing to help the doctor out. "Trouble with the animal?" asked the landlady. The doctor held up his useless cell phone. "It is dead," he said. "Nearest town with a full service garage is Marie. Too far for walking," said the woman. "I'll wake Issac. He can fix anything that drinks gasoline." The doctor swallowed and said, "Who sleeps at this hour?" "He sleeps all the time when he's not riding a tractor," said the woman. "And he dreams the same dream over and over again." "A good dream I hope," said the doctor. The woman smiled a smile without all her teeth, and she shook her head. "The boy is bad afflicted," she said. "I am a doctor," said the doctor. "Has he ever seen one for the dreaming?" "Not in these parts," said the woman. "Not to my knowing. Come inside and you can see him."
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