CHAPTER X.
TWO HEAVY BLOWS.
During the four months that General Mathieson had remained at Holmwoodno one had been more constant in his inquiries as to his health than Mr.Simcoe. He had seen Hilda before she started, and had begged her to lethim have a line once a week, saying how her uncle was going on.
"I will get Dr. Leeds to write," she said. "My own opinion will be worthnothing, but his will be valuable. I am afraid that he will find timehang heavily on his hands, and he will not mind writing. I do not likewriting letters at the best of times, but in the trouble we are in now Iam sure that I shall not be equal to it."
Dr. Leeds willingly undertook the duty of sending a short weeklybulletin, not only to Mr. Simcoe, but to a dozen other intimate friends.
"It is not half an hour's work," he said, when Netta offered to relievehim by addressing the envelopes or copying out his report; "very fewwords will be sufficient. 'The General has made some slight progressthis week,' or 'The General remains in very much the same state,' or 'Iam glad to be able to record some slight improvement.' That, with mysignature, will be quite sufficient, and when I said that half an hourwould be enough I exaggerated: I fancy that it will be all done in fiveminutes."
Mr. Simcoe occasionally wrote a few lines of thanks, but scarcely a daypassed that he did not send some little present for the invalid--a bunchof the finest grapes, a few choice peaches, and other fruit from abroad.Of flowers they had plenty in their own conservatories at Holmwood,while game was abundant, for both from neighbors and from club friendsthey received so large a quantity that a considerable proportion wassent back in hampers to the London hospitals.
Some of Mr. Simcoe's presents were of a different description. Amongthem was a machine that would hold a book at any angle desired, while atthe same time there was a shelf upon which a cup or tumbler, a sparebook or newspaper, could be placed.
"At any rate, Hilda, this Mr. Simcoe of yours is very thoughtful andkind towards your uncle," Netta said.
"Yes," Hilda admitted reluctantly, "he certainly is very thoughtful, butI would much rather he did not send things. We can get anything we wantfrom Warwick or Leamington, or indeed from London, merely by sending aline or a telegram. One hates being under obligations to a man one doesnot like."
"It seems to me at present that you are unjust, Hilda; and I certainlylook forward to seeing him in London and drawing my own conclusions."
"Yes, no doubt you will see him, and often enough too," Hilda saidpettishly. "Of course, if uncle means to go to his club, it will beimpossible to say that he is unfit to see his friends at home."
Netta, however, did not see Mr. Simcoe on their return, for Dr. Leeds,on the suggestion of Hilda, stated in his last report that the Generalwould be going up to town in a day or two, but that he stronglydeprecated any visits until he could see how the invalid stood thejourney.
There was no doubt that he stood it badly. Just at first the excitementseemed to inspire him with strength, but this soon died away, and he hadto be helped from the railway carriage to the brougham, and lifted outwhen he arrived at home. Dr. Leeds saw to his being carried upstairs,undressed, and put to bed.
"He is weaker than I thought," he said in reply to Hilda's anxious lookwhen he joined the party downstairs. "I cannot say that it is want ofphysical strength, for he has walked over a mile several times withoutapparent fatigue. It seems to me that it is rather failure of willpower, or brain power, if you like. I noticed that he very frequentlysat looking out of the window, and it is possible that the succession ofobjects passing rapidly before the eye has had the same effect ofinducing giddiness that waltzing has to one unaccustomed to it. I trustthat to-morrow the effect will have passed off. I had, as you know,intended to sleep at a friend's chambers to-night; but I should notthink of doing so now, but will sit up with him. I will get Roberts totake watch and watch with me. I can lie down on the sofa, and he canwake me should there be any change. I sent him off in a cab, as soon aswe got your uncle into bed, to fetch Dr. Pearson; if he is at home, hewill be here in a few minutes."
It was, however, half an hour before Dr. Pearson came, as he was outwhen the cab arrived. He had on the way learned from Tom Roberts thestate in which the General had arrived, and he hurried upstairs at onceto his room.
"So he has broken down badly, Leeds?"
"Very badly."
"I did not expect it. When I saw him last Sunday he seemed to have madeso much progress that I thought there could be no harm in his beingbrought up to London, though, as I said to you, I thought it would bebetter to dissuade him from going to his club. He might see a few of hisfriends and have a quiet chat with them here. His pulse is still muchfuller than I should have expected from the account his man gave of him.There is a good deal of irregularity, but that has been the case eversince the attack."
"I think that it is mental rather than bodily collapse," the younger mansaid. "A sudden failure of brain power. He was absolutely unable to makeany effort to walk, or indeed to move his limbs at all. It was a sort ofmental paralysis."
"And to some slight extent bodily also," Dr. Pearson said, leaning overthe bed and examining the patient closely. "Do you see there is aslight, but distinct, contortion of the face, just as there was afterthat fit?"
"I see there is. He has not spoken since we lifted him from the railwaycarriage, and I am afraid that to-morrow we shall find that he haslost, partially or entirely, the power of speech. I fear that this isthe beginning of the end."
Dr. Pearson nodded.
"There can be little doubt of it, nor could we wish it to be otherwise.Still, he may linger for weeks or even months."
Hilda read the doctor's opinion in his face when he went downstairs.
"Oh, doctor, don't say he is going to die!" she cried.
"I do not say that he is going to die at once, my dear. He may live forsome time yet, but it is of no use concealing from you that neither Dr.Leeds nor myself have the slightest hope of his ultimate recovery. Therecan be no doubt that paralysis is creeping over him, and that it is mostunlikely that he will ever leave his bed again.
"Yes, I know it is hard, dear," he said soothingly, as she burst intotears, "but much as you will regret his loss you cannot but feel that itis best so. He could never have been himself again, never have enjoyedhis life. There would have been an ever-present anxiety and a dread of arecurrence of that fit. You will see in time that it is better for himand for you that it should be as it is, although, of course, you canhardly see that just at present. And now I must leave you to your kindfriends here."
Miss Purcell knew well enough that just at present words of consolationwould be thrown away, and that it was a time only for silent sympathy,and her gentle words and the warm pressure of Netta's hand did more torestore Hilda's composure than any repetition of the doctor's well-meantassurance that all was for the best could do.
"Would you like me to write a line in your name to Colonel Bulstrode?"she asked.
"No, no!" Hilda cried; "it would look as if we had made up your mindsthat uncle was going to die. If he were conscious it would be different;for I know that Colonel Bulstrode is his greatest friend and is namedone of his trustees, and uncle might want to talk to him. Oh, how onewishes at a time like this that one had a brother, or that he had a sonalive, or that there was someone who would naturally step in and takeeverything into his hands!"
"There are his lawyers," Miss Purcell suggested.
"Yes, I did not think of them. Mr. Pettigrew is the other trustee, andis, I know, joint guardian with me of Walter. I am sorry now that we didnot leave the dear little fellow down at Holmwood, it will be so sad anddull for him here, and he would have been very happy in the country. Butperhaps it is best as it is; if my uncle recovers consciousness he issure to ask for him. He had come to be very fond of him, and Walter hasbeen so much with him lately."
"Yes, his eyes always used to follow the child about in his play," MissPurcell said. "I think it is best that he should be her
e, and as thenursery is at the top of the house he will not be in anyone's way."
There was but little change in General Mathieson's condition nextmorning, although a slight movement, when Hilda spoke to him, showedthat he was dimly conscious of her presence, and when she brought thechild down and he laid his hand on that of the General, and said"Good-morning, grandfather," according to his custom, he opened his eyesfor a moment, and there was a slight movement of the lips, as if he weretrying to speak.
"Thank you, Miss Covington," Dr. Leeds said; "the experiment was worthmaking, and it proves that his state of unconsciousness is notcomplete."
Walter always took his dinner with the others when they lunched.
"Where is the child?" Hilda asked the footman; "have you sent him up totell nurse that lunch is ready?"
"I have not sent up, miss, because nurse has not come back with him fromhis walk."
"No doubt she will be back in a few minutes," Hilda said. "She is verypunctual; I never knew her late before."
THE NURSE WAS SITTING ON A CHAIR, SOBBING BITTERLY._--Page 117._]
Lunch was half over when Tom Roberts came in with a scared expression onhis usually somewhat stolid face.
"If you please, miss, nurse wishes to speak to you."
"What is the matter, Roberts?" Hilda exclaimed, starting up. "Has Waltermet with an accident?"
"Well, no, miss, not as I know of, but nurse has come home, and she isjust like a wild thing; somehow or other Master Walter has got lost."
Hilda, followed by Netta and Miss Purcell, ran out into the hall. Thenurse, a woman of two or three and thirty, the daughter of one of theGeneral's tenants, and who had been in charge of the child since hearrived a baby from India, was sitting on a chair, sobbing bitterly. Herbonnet hung down at the back of her head, her hair was unloosed, and shehad evidently been running wildly to and fro. Her appearance at oncedisarmed Hilda, who said soothingly:
"How has it happened, nurse? Stop crying and tell us. I am sure that itcould not have been your fault, for you are always so careful with him.There is no occasion to be so terribly upset. Of course he will soon befound. The first policeman who sees him will be sure to take him to thestation. Now how did it happen?"
"I was walking along Queen's Road, miss," the woman said between hersobs, "and Master Walter was close beside me. I know that special,because we had just passed a crossing, and I took hold of his hand as wewent over--when a man--he looked like a respectable working-man--came upto me and said, 'I see you are a mother, ma'am.' 'Not at all,' said I;'how dare you say such a thing? I am a nurse; I am in charge of thisyoung gentleman.' 'Well,' said he, 'I can see that you have a kindheart, anyhow; that is what made me speak to you. I am a carpenter, Iam, and I have been out of work for months, and I have a child at homejust about this one's age. He is starving, and I haven't a bit to put inhis mouth. The parish buried my wife three weeks ago, and I am well-nighmad. Would you give me the money to buy him a loaf of bread?' The manwas in such distress, miss, that I took out my purse and gave him ashilling, and thankful he was; he was all but crying, and could not sayenough to thank me. Then I turned to take hold of Walter's hand, andfound that the child had gone. I could not have been more than two orthree minutes talking; though it always does take me a long time to takemy purse out of my pocket, still I know that it could not have beenthree minutes altogether.
"First of all, I went back to the crossing, and looked up and down thestreet, but he wasn't there; then I thought that perhaps he had walkedon, and was hiding for fun in a shop doorway. When I could not see himup or down I got regular frighted, and ran up and down like a mad thing.Once I came back as far as the house, but there were no signs of him,and I knew that he could not have got as far as this, even if he had runall the way. Then I thought of the mews, and I ran back there. MasterWalter was very fond of horses, and he generally stopped when we got tothe entrance of the mews, and stood looking for a minute or two at thegrooms cleaning the horses, and I thought that he might have gone inthere. There were two or three men about, but none had seen the child.Still I ran on, and looked into several stables, a-calling for him allthe time. When he wasn't there, I went well-nigh stark mad, and I ran upand down the streets asking everyone I met had they seen a child. Then Icame back here to tell you."
"We shall soon hear of him, nurse. Roberts, do you and William start outat once. Go first to the police station and give notice that the childis missing--he cannot have wandered far--and then do you and James goall round the neighborhood and tell every policeman that you meet whathas happened. You can ask in all the shops in Queen's Road and thestreets near; he may have wandered into one of them, and as he wasalone, they may have kept him until someone came to inquire after him.Now, Netta, will you put on your bonnet and come out with me?"
"Shall I come with you too, Hilda?"
"No, thank you, Miss Purcell. In the first place we shall walk too fastfor you, and in the second it would be as well for you to be here tocomfort him if he is brought back while we are out. We will come everyhalf-hour to hear if there is news of him. You had better go upstairsand make yourself tidy, nurse, and then you can come out and join in thehunt. But you look so utterly worn out and exhausted that I thinkperhaps you had better sit quiet for a time; you may be sure that itwill not be long before some of us bring him back.
"I could not sit still, Miss Covington," the woman said. "I will justrun upstairs and put myself straight, and then go out again."
"Try and calm yourself, nurse, or you will be taken for a madwoman; youcertainly looked like one when you came in."
Two minutes later Hilda and her friend started.
"Let us go first into Kensington Gardens, Netta; he often went there toplay, and if he came down into the main road, he would very likelywander in. It is probable that nurse may have been longer speaking tothat man than she thinks, and that he had time to get a good way beforeshe missed him."
The gardens were thoroughly searched, and the park-keepers questioned,but there were no signs of Walter. Then they called at the house to seewhether there was any news of him. Finding that there was not, theyagain went out. They had no real hopes of finding him now, for Hilda wasconvinced that he was not in any of the streets near. Had he been,either the nurse or the men would have found him.
"He has, no doubt, been either taken by some kind-hearted person who hasfound him lost," she said, "and who has either given notice to thepolice, or he has been taken by them to the police station. Still, itrelieves one to walk about; it would be impossible to sit quiet, doingnothing. The others will have searched all the streets near, and we hadbetter go up the Edgware Road, search in that direction, and give noticeto any policemen we find."
But the afternoon went on and no news was received of the missing child.It was a relief to them when Dr. Leeds, who had gone off watch for a fewhours at twelve o'clock, returned. He looked grave for a moment when heheard the news, but said cheerfully, "It is very annoying, MissCovington, but you need not alarm yourself; Walter is bound to turn up."
"But he ought to have been sent to the police station long before this,"Hilda said tearfully.
"Of course he ought, if all people possessed common-sense;unfortunately, they don't. I expect that at the present moment he iseating bread and jam, or something of that sort in the house of somekind-hearted old lady who has taken him in, and the idea of informingthe police has never occurred to her for a moment, and, unfortunately,may not occur for some little time. However, if you will give me thedetails of his dress, I will go at once with it to the printer's and gettwo or three hundred notices struck off and sent round, to be placed intradesmen's windows and stuck up on walls, saying that whoever willbring the child here will be handsomely rewarded. This is sure to fetchhim before long."
There was but little sleep that night at General Mathieson's. The masterof the house still lay unconscious, and from time to time Dr. Leeds camedown to say a few cheering words to the anxious girls. Tom Robertswalked the streets all night wi
th the faint idea of finding the childasleep on a doorstep, and went three times to the police station to askif there was any news. The first thing in the morning Hilda went withDr. Leeds to Scotland Yard, and the description of the child was at oncesent to every station in London; then she drove by herself to the officeof Messrs. Farmer & Pettigrew, and waited there until the lattergentleman arrived. Mr. Pettigrew, who was a very old friend of thefamily, looked very grave over the news.
"I will not conceal from you, Miss Covington," he said, when she hadfinished her story, "that the affair looks to me somewhat serious; and Iam afraid that you will have to make up your mind that you may not seethe little fellow as soon as you expect. Had he been merely lost, youshould certainly have heard of him in a few hours after the various and,I may say, judicious steps that you have taken. A child who loseshimself in the streets of London is morally certain to come into thehands of the police in a very few hours."
"Then what can have become of him, Mr. Pettigrew?"
"It may be that, as not unfrequently happens, the child has been stolenfor the sake of his clothes. In that case he will probably be heard ofbefore very long. Or it may be a case of blackmail. Someone, possibly anacquaintance of one of the servants, may have known that the child, asthe grandson and heir of General Mathieson, would be a valuable prize,and that, if he could be carried off, his friends might finally beforced to pay a considerable sum to recover him. I must say that itlooks to me like a planned thing. One of the confederates engages thesilly woman, his nurse, in a long rambling talk; the other picks thechild quietly up or entices him away to the next corner, where he has acab in waiting, and drives off with him at once. However, in neithercase need you fear that the child will come to serious harm. If he hasbeen stolen for the sake of his clothes the woman will very speedilyturn him adrift, and he will be brought home to you by the police inrags. If, on the other hand, he has been taken for the purpose ofblackmail, you may be sure that he will be well cared for, for he will,in the eyes of those who have taken him, be a most valuable possession.In that case you may not hear from the abductors for some little time.They will know that, as the search continues and no news is obtained,his friends will grow more and more anxious, and more ready to payhandsomely for his return. Of course it is a most annoying andunfortunate business, but I really do not think that you have anyoccasion to feel anxious about his safety, and it is morally certainthat in time you will have him back, safe and sound. Now how is youruncle? I hope that he shows signs of rallying?"
"I am sorry to say there was no sign whatever of his doing so up toeight o'clock this morning, and, indeed, Dr. Pearson told me that he hasbut little hope of his doing so. He thinks that there has been a slightshock of paralysis. Dr. Leeds speaks a little more hopefully than Dr.Pearson, but that is his way, and I think that he too considers that theend is not far off."
"Your friends, Miss Purcell and her niece, are still with you, I hope?"
"Yes; they will not leave me as long as I am in trouble. I don't knowwhat I should do without them, especially now this new blow has fallenupon me."
"Well, my dear, if you receive any communication respecting this boysend it straight to me. I do not know whether you are aware that you andI have been appointed his guardians?"
"Yes; uncle told me so months ago. But I never thought then that hewould not live till Walter came of age, and I thought that it was a mereform."
"Doubtless it seemed so at the time," Mr. Pettigrew agreed; "youruncle's was apparently an excellent life, and he was as likely as anyoneI know to have attained a great age."
"There is nothing you can advise me to do at present?"
"Nothing whatever, besides what you have done. The police all overLondon will be on the lookout for a lost child; they will probablyassume at once that he has been stolen for his clothes, and will expectto see the child they are in search of in rags. They will know, too, thequarter in which he is most likely to be found. If it is for thispurpose that he has been stolen you can confidently expect to have himback by to-morrow at latest; the woman would be anxious to get rid ofhim without loss of time. If the other hypothesis is correct you may nothear for a fortnight or three weeks; the fellows in that case will becontent to bide their time."
Hilda drove back with a heavy heart. Netta herself opened the door, andher swollen eyes at once told the truth.
"Uncle is dead?" Hilda exclaimed.
"Yes, dear; he passed away half an hour ago, a few minutes after Dr.Leeds returned. The doctor ran down himself for a moment, almostdirectly he had gone up, and said that the General was sinking fast, andthat the end might come at any moment. Ten minutes later he came downand told us that all was over."