CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
GEORGE HARRINGTON'S ACCIDENT.
"Don't be alarmed," said Saul Harrington, confronting them. "Perhapsyou ladies had better go back to the drawing-room."
"What is the matter?" said Gertrude quickly.
"Oh, nothing much. Harrington was taken ill, and I got him to lie down,but he didn't seem to get any better, so I thought it better to order afly and have him driven home. But, my dear Miss Bellwood, you hadbetter retire."
There was a tone in his voice which seemed to say, "For goodness sakedon't," and he hugged himself as Mrs Hampton said shortly:
"I always thought women were most useful when anyone was ill."
"Here! Hi! Somebody! Curse you! Let go, will you!" came from down bythe gate.
"He's a little delirious, I think," said Saul hastily. "The fly-man isholding him back on the seat. Mr Hampton, are there any men about? Wewant help."
"Yes, two old men and a young man, Mr Saul. Come along, Lawrence;let's get him in."
Gertrude gave the doctor a piteous look.
"Don't be alarmed, my dear," he said kindly. "I'll soon bring himround. Leave him to us."
He followed the lawyer down to the gate, as Saul lingered for a momentto whisper to Gertrude:
"He's right, don't be alarmed. It is not serious," and he smiled tohimself as he hurried after the others.
"What a kind, considerate man Mr Saul is," said Mrs Hamptonsarcastically. "Humph!"
She stopped to listen, as quite a disturbance came from the gate.
"Is--is it an accident, Mrs Hampton?" whispered Gertrude.
"Yes, my dear. I don't think there is any doubt about that."
"Look sharp, please," came in a voice full of remonstrance, as thegentlemen hurried down to the gate, to find a desperate struggle goingon in the fly, where the driver was seated with his head tucked downupon his chest to avoid blows, while he held his fare tightly round thewaist. "Ah, that's better. Take hold of his fisties, somebody. He'sreg'lar mad."
"Poor fellow!" exclaimed Saul, seizing one of the struggling man's arms,while Doctor Lawrence got hold of the other, and between them they drewthe sufferer out of the fly on to his knees by the gate.
"That's better," said the fly-man. "Lucky I've got my quiet old mare.He gave such a jump once, he startled even her."
"Here, lend a hand," said the doctor sharply, as his patient began tostruggle furiously, and tried to fling them off, "all of you. We'refour. We'll take a wrist each, Hampton. You two young men take anankle apiece."
"Why, that's same as they does the sojers when they're a bit on," saidthe fly-man.
"No, no," cried the doctor. "The other way. Not face downwards."
The patient was in a sitting position on the gravel, laughingidiotically, and trying to troll out portions of a song, but as he felthimself seized and lifted from the ground his whole manner changed: hestruggled furiously, his face became distorted, and he burst forth intoa tirade of oaths and curses directed at all in turn.
"Steady, guv'nor!" said the fly-man, as he held on tightly to one leg."Steady, you ain't a swimming. Kicks out like a frog."
"Don't let go, whatever you do," said the doctor.
"Not I, sir. I'll hold on. My! he have had his whack. We can do a bitof a swear here in England, but these American gents could give any ofus fifty out of a hundred."
"Be silent, man!" said the lawyer sternly, as they neared the flight ofstone steps leading up to the front door. Then aloud, "Rachel, takeMiss Bellwood to the dining-room and stay there."
Mrs Hampton took Gertrude's hand, but she was quietly repulsed, and thegirl stood just inside the hall, as the sick man was carried up thestone steps, and then into the study, where they placed him on a couch,from which he tried to struggle up, cursing and blaspheming all thetime.
"Had you not better go, Gertrude?" whispered Saul, as he left the otherthree holding his companion down.
She paid no heed to his words, but stood holding Mrs Hampton's wrist,gazing down at the struggling brute.
"Here you, Mr Saul, get something--a table cover will do, or a rope.We must tie him down. Better go, Miss Gertrude. I'll get him calmafter a bit."
Gertrude made no reply even to this, but stood gazing as if fascinated,and shuddering slightly as she heard the coarse, ruffianly language andblasphemies directed at all in turn.
"This settles it," said Mrs Hampton to herself, as, in obedience to asummons, Mrs Denton brought in a couple of sheets, and then stoodweeping silently and wringing her hands, as she saw the doctor deftlyfold the sheets, and passing one across the struggling man's chest, giveplace to Saul, who knelt upon his friend, while the broad bandage wastightly secured right under the couch.
A second band was fastened across his legs, and then Mr Hampton turnedto the fly-man, who stood smiling at the scene.
"Thankye, sir," he said, touching his forehead. "Like such a job everyday. Lor'," he said to himself, as he went down the gravel path to theiron gates, "when gents does go it, they does go it and no mistake.That must be champagne, that must; beer and gin wouldn't never make melike him."
"Now," said the doctor, as soon as the fly-man had driven off, "I musthave this got from the nearest chemist's. Under the circumstances, MrSaul, I must ask you to go and fetch it. They'll be shut up for thenight, but I must have the drugs."
"I don't know what you mean, Doctor Lawrence, by `under thecircumstances.' If you think I am to blame for my friend, GeorgeHarrington's illness, you are sadly mistaken. It is an attack ofWestern or swamp fever, I presume."
"Undoubtedly," said the doctor drily.
"Bring the whiskey," shouted the prisoner, in a hoarse yell.
"May I ask you to fetch this medicine, Mr Saul?" said the doctor again.
"Certainly," replied Saul; and as he took the paper, he gave Gertrude animploring look, that changed to one of sympathy as he passed out.
The look was lost upon Gertrude, whose eyes were fixed upon thestruggling, blaspheming man bound on the couch, and who could only bekept in his place by Mr Hampton sitting upon him. She had beenentreated, again and again, to leave the room, but had refused as ifdetermined to see all.
"Nasty fit," said the doctor coolly, as he gave the lawyer a peculiarlook.
"Yes. I never saw a worse."
"Here," cried the patient, with a hoarse roar. "Get some whisk'.Throat's like--like--what you call it. Hullo, old mother 'Ampton, youthere! Where's old Saul?"
He burst out into an idiotic fit of laughter, and looked from one to theother.
"Where's Gertie?" he cried at last; "where's little lassie? Fesh herhere. Got t'headache. She's good f'readache. Curse you, what are youdoing. Let's get up."
There was another fierce struggle, but the bandages held firm, and helay panting for a time.
"Man must joy self sometimes. Ah, there you are, little one. It's allright--it's all right."
His eyes closed, and he lay passive for quite a quarter of an hour, thedoctor watching every change, and at last joining his entreaties tothose of Mrs Hampton.
"You had better go, Gertrude, my dear. You can do no good. I shallstay here by him--perhaps all night. He'll be better in the morning."
"Never better to me," thought Gertrude, as she looked wistfully in thedoctor's eyes. But she shook her head and intimated that she shouldstay.
"But it is not a fit scene for you, my child," whispered Mrs Hamptontenderly.
"I cannot help it, I may be of use. Doctor Lawrence," she said aloud,piteously, as with a faint hope that she might be deceived, and that shewas unjust in attributing the trouble to drink, "are such fits likely toreturn?"
"Eh? Hum! Well, really, my dear, it all depends upon the patienthimself. Ah! here's Mr Saul."
"Eh? Saul?" yelled the patient. "Where's old Saul? More whiskey. Ah,would you!"
He burst out into such a torrent of tall swearing as is said to bepeculiar to the mule-drivers of the Far West, and G
ertrude shuddered asthe hot words came pouring forth.
"That's right, Mr Saul. Now, Mrs Denton, a wine-glass, and a littlecold water, please."
These were obtained, and as the chink of bottle against glass was heard,the patient shouted aloud, and strained to sit up and reach the glassheld out to him, and whose contents he swallowed instantly.
"What's that?" he shouted; "not whisk--That you, Saul boy. Come here--come--"
He stopped short, uttered a furious oath, and made a bound to sethimself free, but sank back inert and lay staring in a ghastly manner atthe ceiling.
The doctor laid his hand upon his patient's heart, felt his pulse, andthen bent down over him anxiously.
"Here," he said quickly, "where is that prescription, Mr Saul?"
"The prescription, sir? Here," was the reply; and Saul took it from hisbreast-pocket.
Doctor Lawrence glanced at it quickly, and seemed satisfied, but turnedto his patient again, as if the effects of his dose made him uneasy.
"He'll be better soon, Gertrude, dear," whispered Mrs Hampton, as shedrew her away to the embayed window, and stood with her half hidden bythe curtains, but with Saul Harrington's eyes watching them keenly."Don't be alarmed, my dear, at the violence of the attack."
"I am not alarmed," said Gertrude slowly, and in a deep, sad voice, "andI am not deceived, Mrs Hampton."
"What do you mean, my dear?"
"That I never saw any one behave like that before. Mrs Hampton, dear,I am not the child you think me. Do you suppose I do not know that thisis the effect of drink?"
There was a dead silence for a few moments, broken only by thestertorous breathing of the man upon the couch.
"I wished to spare you pain, my poor darling," said Mrs Hamptonaffectionately, as she drew the weeping girl to her breast. "But yousee now it is impossible for you to wed this man. Gertrude, my child,you must come home with me, and give up all thoughts of poor old MrHarrington's wishes. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"And you will not be tempted by the money to sacrifice yourself likethis."
"No," said Gertrude gently. "No money would tempt me, but it was mypoor guardian's great wish that I should be the wife of the boy heworshipped."
"But, my--"
"Hush, Mrs Hampton. He was not always like this, but generous,chivalrous, and true. Mrs Hampton, I can see my duty here. It will beno sacrifice, but a labour of love."
"What? You will not stay here?"
"Yes, and will be his wife."
"What? You love him, then?"
"No, I think not yet; but I shall bring him patiently back to that whichhe was when he used to help my poor guardian--win him back to a truerlife."
"Gertrude?"
"If I can do that, I shall fulfil the wishes of the dead."
"Rachel, take Miss Gertrude away. Hampton, Mr Saul, I must have morehelp here," said the doctor in a low, stern voice, as he bent over theman upon the couch, and then in a hoarse, excited whisper he exclaimed:
"Good God! He's dying!"