The Knave of Diamonds

  CHAPTER XV

  THE KING'S DECREE

  For three weeks after the operation Capper said nothing good or bad ofhis patient's condition, and during those weeks he scarcely went beyondthe terrace. He moved about like a man absorbed, and it seemed to Annewhenever they met that he looked at her without seeing her.

  Nap was even closer in his attendance, and Tawny Hudson found himselfmore than ever supplanted and ignored. For night and day he was at hand,sleeping when and how he could, always alert at the briefest notice,always ready with unfailing nerve and steady hand.

  And Capper suffered him without the smallest remonstrance. He seemed totake it for granted that Nap's powers were illimitable.

  "That young man will kill himself," Dr. Randal said once. "He is livingat perpetual high pressure."

  "Leave him alone," growled Capper. "He is the force that drives theengine. The wheels won't go round without him."

  And this seemed true; for the wheels went round very, very slowly inthose days. Lucas Errol came back to life, urged by a vitality not hisown, and the Shadow of Death still lingered in his eyes.

  He did not suffer very greatly, and he slept as he had not slept foryears, but his progress was slow, sometimes imperceptible. The languor ofintense weakness hung like a leaden weight upon him. The old bravecheeriness had given place to a certain curious wistfulness. He seemedtoo weary for effort, content at all times to sleep the hours away.

  Yet when Capper demanded effort he yielded without protest. He did hisbest, and he smiled at each evidence of returning powers.

  "I guess it's just an almighty success, doctor," he would say. "Andyou've given me sleep into the bargain. It's blessed to be able to sleep.I've a good many years of arrears to make up."

  On the day that Capper and Nap set him on his feet for the first time,his weakness was such that he fainted; but he recovered and apologised,and would even have faced the ordeal again had Capper permitted it. Onthe following day he went through it without a tremor, and sleptthereafter for hours, scarcely rousing himself for nourishment.

  It was during that sleep that Nap left him, went out into the springwoods, and remained absent for some time. Lucas was still sleeping whenhe returned, and after a brief look at him he moved away into theadjoining room and prowled to and fro there waiting.

  At the first sound of his brother's voice he was back by the bedside.

  Lucas smiled a welcome. "I'm better," he said, and held up a weak hand.

  It was the first time he had made the assertion. Nap took the hand andlaid it gently down.

  "You'll get well now," he said.

  The heavy drowsiness was less apparent than usual on Lucas's face. "Idon't know where I'd be without you, Boney," he said. "Do you know you'relooking awfully ill?"

  "Shucks!" said Nap.

  But Lucas continued his criticism undeterred.

  "You've spent too much of yourself on me, and I've been too damnedselfish to notice. I'm going to wake up now, Boney. I'm going to play thegame. You've been playing my hand as well as your own till now. I'm goingto relieve you of that."

  "Hear, hear!" said Nap.

  "You'll go to bed in your own room to-night," said Lucas, "go to bed andto sleep. In the morning we'll have a talk."

  But when the morning came, his energy had flagged a little. He had notslept as well as usual, and though he had no pain he seemed disinclinedfor physical effort.

  "I want a holiday to-day," he said to Capper. "Just let in the sunshineand leave me to bask."

  There had been a spell of cold and sunless weather, but that day the sunshone gloriously. The genial warmth of it came in through the openwindow and flooded the room with the very essence of spring.

  "I'm going to take a day off and enjoy it," smiled Lucas. "You take a dayoff too, doctor. Make the mater go out in the car. I shall do wondersto-morrow after a good laze to-day."

  Capper looked him over keenly, pulled his beard, cracked his fingers, andyielded. "Guess a rest won't do you any harm. There's no reason to hustleyou any that I can see."

  And Lucas spent the whole morning basking in the sunshine in almostunbroken silence. He did not sleep at all. His eyes, remote andthoughtful, were for the most part watching the specks that danced andfloated in the rays of light that streamed across his bed.

  Nap forebore to disturb him, but he remained within call. He knew withsure intuition that sooner or later Lucas would summon him. Almost heknew what he would say.

  The call came at last, very quiet and deliberate. "Boney!"

  Instantly Nap presented himself.

  "Come here a minute, old chap. No, I'm not wanting anything--only a wordin private. Say, Boney, is Anne still stopping here?"

  He had seen her nearly every day since the operation, but he had been toodrowsy to ask any questions. He had only smiled upon her, and sometimesfor a little had held her hand.

  "She is backwards and forwards," said Nap. "I believe she is spendingto-night."

  "Ah! Then, Boney, I want you to speak to her--to-night." He looked up athis brother with his old, kindly smile. "It's for my own sake, old chap,"he said. "You know, I didn't sleep last night. I was thinking abouther--about you both. And I want her to know everything to-night. I shallsleep the easier when she knows."

  Nap stood silent. His face was set in hard lines.

  "Will you tell her, Boney?"

  "What am I to tell her?" said Nap,

  "Tell her the truth, dear fellow, so that she understands it. Make herrealise that the dearest wish of my life is her happiness--and yours." Hereached up a hand to the motionless figure beside him. "Just this onething, Boney," he pleaded gently. "Remember--I came back because of it.It will be my happiness too. I want to feel that all is well between you.God knows I want it more than anything else on earth."

  Nap gripped the proffered hand and held it fast.

  "But she won't have me, you know," he said, after a moment. "She onlyforgave me because of you."

  "Shucks, dear fellow! I guess that wasn't the reason."

  "I wish to heaven you'd let me off," Nap said, with suddenvehemence. "Let me shunt first instead of last. It's more than Ican face--even for you."

  "But I guess you'll face it all the same," said Lucas gently. "And whenit's over, come--both of you--and tell me."

  He closed his eyes and turned his face to the sunshine. "So long, oldchap!" he said. "Don't stay indoors. I'm not wanting you. Think I'll getto sleep presently. Don't let them wake me if I do."

  But Nap lingered, still holding his hand. "Luke!" he said.

  There was a note of entreaty in his voice, but, for the second time inhis life, Lucas turned a deaf ear. The smile was still on his lips, buthis eyes remained closed.

  "Go, dear fellow!" he said softly. "And God bless you!"

  And Nap turned with a set face and went straight from the room.