"You're being called a hero doctor in the papers," Anne said to Gilbert. "There's a quote from Dr. Parker that you saved Floyd Collin's life."
Gilbert said, "I'll bring that up with Parker the next time that he gives me a hard time."
Anne said, "Looks like you're one of his most important patients now."
Gilbert said, "Parker doesn't want me to die on him. He'd be stuck with the folks in the Glen for patients. And David Anderson again."
After several days of rest, Gilbert was beginning to act healthy and well-rested. Anne and Gilbert both still struggled to process his near-death in the cave collapse.
Gilbert recovered completely and returned to his work.
Floyd Collins recovered completely as well and went back to his work of, well, cave exploring.
Anne heard through Leslie that Owen did pitch his book about Floyd Collins' cave exploring adventures. Owen did receive a generous advance to write said book.
"Oh, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for Owen and for you!" Anne said.
This was indeed wonderful news. Even though Gilbert didn't tell Anne about Leslie's confession over the state of the Ford family finances, Anne knew that the Fords ran out of money. Everyone in Four Winds and the Glen knew that the Fords ran out of money. Owen received a nice check from that newspaper in Toronto after he wrote the articles about the cave collapse. Everyone knew about this because he ran around and paid his outstanding balances at the stores in Lowbridge that same day. However, Anne knew that Owen had never paid Gilbert's bill for Kenneth's accident.
So, good on Owen for his advance for the new book! Maybe this time he could made the money stretch longer. Maybe he would pay Gilbert.
Also, Anne and Gilbert truly believed that Owen Ford was the sole reason that the mining experts rushed to the island to save Gilbert and Collins before it was too late.
Still, Owen Ford's new book deal stung for Anne. He wrote a crappy, partially fabricated tale about Captain Jim that Anne herself could have written better if she had only attempted to do so. And THIS was how he got rewarded? With a deal for a second book?
Anne fantasized about writing her own Captain Jim book. Her working title would be "The REAL Story of Captain Jim." But it was too late now. Gilbert had written a blurb for the original Life-Book. Anne couldn't very well speak out now and say that the book was false.
