CHAPTER XIII
THE LIGHTNING AND A SUBTLER FLAME
On entering the parlor, I found Mr. Yocomb standing up and lookingaround in a dazed manner. He did not seem to know me, and in my deepanxiety I did not heed him. Kneeling beside Miss Warren, I found thather pulse was very feeble. I lifted her gently upon the sofa, and threwopen a window, so that the damp, gusty wind, full of spray from therain, might blow in upon her.
Mr. Yocomb laid his hand heavily on my shoulder, and asked, in a thickvoice, "What does it all mean?"
I saw that he was deathly pale, and that he tottered. Taking his arm, Isupported him to a lounge in the hall, and said, "Mr. Yocomb, you weretaken ill. You must lie down quietly till the physician comes."
He seemed so confused and unable to think that he accepted myexplanation. Indeed, he soon became so ill from the effects of theshock that he could not rise.
Again I knelt at Miss Warren's side, and began chafing her hands; butthe cool wind and spray did the most to revive her. She opened hereyes, looked at me fixedly a few moments, and then tried to rise.
"Please keep quiet," I said, "till I bring you some brandy;" and Ihastened to my room, tore open my valise, and was soon moistening herlips from a small flask. After swallowing a little she regainedself-possession rapidly.
"What happened?" she asked.
"I fear you swooned."
She passed her hand over her brow, and looked around as if in search,of some one, then said, "Where is Mrs. Yocomb?"
"She is in her room with Zillah."
"Please let me go to her;" and she again essayed to rise.
"Miss Warren," I said gently, "I have no right to ask a favor of you,but I will thank you very much if you will just remain quietly on thissofa till you are better. You remember we had a frightful storm. Inever knew such heavy thunder."
"Ah! there it is again," she said, shuddering, as a heavy peal rolledaway to the north.
"Miss Warren, you said once to-day that you could trust me. You can. Iassure you the storm is past; there is no more danger from it, butthere is danger unless you do as I bid you. Remain quietly here tillyou have recovered from--from your nervous prostration. I happen tohave some knowledge in a case of this kind, and I know that muchdepends on your being quiet for an hour or more. You need not bealarmed if you do as I bid you. I will see to it that some one iswithin call all the time;" and I tried to speak cheerfully anddecisively.
She smiled as she said, "Since you have assumed the role of doctor,I'll obey, for I know how arbitrary the profession is."
Then she again reclined wearily on the sofa, and I went out, closingthe door.
I found Reuben beside his father, who certainly needed care, for theterrible nausea which attends recovery from a severe shock fromelectricity had set in.
"Reuben," I urged, "_do_ go for the doctor; I'll do everything for yourfather that I can, but we must have a good physician at once. Go inyour buggy as fast as you can drive in the dark--can't you take alantern?--and bring the doctor with you. First tell him what hashappened, so that he can bring the proper remedies. Be a man, Reuben;much depends on you to-night."
Within five minutes I heard the swift feet of Dapple splash out uponthe road. The night was growing still and close, and the gusts occurredat longer intervals. The murky cloud had covered the sky, utterlyobscuring the moonlight, and there was a steady and heavy fall of rain.
After Reuben had gone, a terrible sense of isolation and helplessnessoppressed me. I remembered strange tales of lightning and its effectsthat I had heard. Would the mother and her two daughters survive? WasMr. Yocomb seriously ill? But I found that the anxiety which torturedme most was in behalf of the one who gave the best promise of speedyrecovery; and it was my chief hope that she would remain quietly whereI had left her till the physician arrived. I had pretended to a fargreater knowledge than I possessed, since in truth I had had verylittle experience in illness. If Miss Warren should leave the parlor,and thus learn that the farmhouse might become the scene of an awfultragedy, the effect upon her would probably be disastrous in theextreme.
These and like thoughts were coursing swiftly through my mind as Iwaited upon Mr. Yocomb, and sought to give him relief.
"Ice!" he gasped; "it's in cellar."
I snatched up the candle that Reuben had left burning on thehall-table, and went for it. The place was strange, and I was not asquick and deft as many others would have been, and so was absent somemoments.
Great was my surprise and consternation when I returned, for MissWarren stood beside Mr. Yocomb, holding his head.
"Why are you here?" I asked, and my tone and manner betokened deeptrouble.
"I'm better," she said, quietly and firmly.
"Miss Warren," I remonstrated, "I won't answer for the consequences ifyou don't go back to the parlor and remain there till the doctor comes.I know what I'm about."
"You don't look as if master of the situation. You are haggard--youseem half desperate--"
"I'm anxious about you, and if--"
"Mr. Morton, you are far more anxious about others. I've had time tothink. A swoon is not such a desperate affair. You guessed rightly--athunderstorm prostrates me, but as it passes I am myself again."
After aiding Mr. Yocomb to recline feebly on the lounge, she came tothe table where I was breaking the ice, and said, in a low tone:
"Something very serious has happened."
I could not look at her. I dared not to speak even, for I was oppressedwith the dread of a worse tragedy. With her morbid fear of lightningshe might almost lose her reason if now, in her weak, unnervedcondition, she saw its effect on Mrs. Yocomb and Adah.
"Mother," moaned Mr. Yocomb; "why don't mother come?"
"She's with Zillah upstairs," I faltered. "Zillah's ill!"
"Then why does not Adah come to her father?" Miss Warren questioned,looking at me keenly.
I felt that disguise was useless.
"Mr. Morton, your hand so trembles that you can scarcely break the ice.Something dreadful has happened--there's the smell of smoke and fire inthe house. Tell me, tell me!" and she laid her hand appealingly on myarm.
"Oh, Miss Warren," I groaned, "let me shield you. If further harmshould come to you to-night--"
"Further harm will come unless you treat me as a woman, not as achild," she said firmly. "I know you mean it kindly, and no doubt Ihave seemed weak enough to warrant any amount of shielding."
At this moment there came a peal of thunder from the passing storm, andshe sank shudderingly into a chair. As it passed she sprang up and said:
"I can't help that, but I can and will help you. I understand it all.The house has been struck, and Zillah, Adah, and Mr. Yocomb have beenhurt. Let me feed Mr. Yocomb with the ice. Are you sure he should haveice? I would give him brandy first if I had my way, but you said youknew--"
"Miss Warren, I don't know--I'm in mortal terror in behalf of thefamily; but my chief dread has been that you would come to know thetruth, and now I can't keep it from you. If you can be brave and strongenough to help me in this emergency, I will honor you and thank youevery day of my life."
"Mother! mother! why doesn't mother come?" Mr. Yocomb called.
Miss Warren gave me a swift glance that was as reassuring as sunlight,and then went quietly into the parlor. A moment later she was givingMr. Yocomb brandy and water, and quieting him with low, gentle words.
"You remember, Mr. Yocomb," she said, "that Zillah was greatlyfrightened by the storm. You would not have the mother leave the childjust yet. Mr. Morton, will you go upstairs and see if I can be of anyassistance? I will join you there as soon as I have made Mr. Yocomb alittle more comfortable," and she went to the parlor and brought outanother pillow, and then threw open the hall-door in order that herpatient might have more air, for he respired slowly and laboriously.Her words seemed to quiet him, and he gave himself into her hands. Ilooked at her wonderingly for a moment, then said, in a low tone:
"You are indeed a woman and a b
rave one. I recognize my superiorofficer, and resign command at once."
She shook her head as she gave me a glimmer of a smile, but urged, in awhisper, "Hasten, we must not lose a moment."
I swiftly mounted the stairs, relieved of my chief anxiety.
Through the open door I saw Adah's fair white face. She had notstirred. I now ventured in and spoke to her, but she was utterlyunconscious. Taking her hand I was overjoyed to find a feeble pulse.
"It may all yet be well. God grant it," I muttered.
"He will," said Miss Warren, who had joined me almost immediately;"this is not a day of fate, I trust;" and she began moistening Adah'slips with brandy, and trying to cause her to swallow a little, while Ichafed her pretty hands and rubbed brandy on her wrists.
"It seems to me as if an age, crowded with events, had elapsed since Istarted on my aimless walk this morning," I said, half in soliloquy.
"That you were directed hither will be cause for lasting gratitude. Wasnot the house on fire?"
"Yes, but Reuben was invaluable. He was out on the piazza, and so wasnot hurt."
"Was Mrs. Yocomb hurt?" she asked, looking at me in wild alarm.
"Please do not fail me," I entreated; "you have been so brave thus far.Mrs. Yocomb will soon revive, I think. You were unconscious at first."
She now realized the truth that Mrs. Yocomb was not caring for Zillah,and hastened to their room, impelled by an overmastering affection forthe woman who had treated her with motherly kindness.
I followed her, and assured her that her friend was living. It neededbut a moment to see that this was true, but little Zillah scarcely gaveany sign of life. Both were unconscious.
The young girl now looked at me as if almost overwhelmed, and said, ina low shuddering tone, "This is awful--far worse than I feared; I dowish the doctor was here."
"He must be here soon. I know you won't give way. In great emergenciesa true woman is great. You may save--"
A thunder-peal from the retreating storm drowned my words. She grewwhite, and would have fallen had I not caught her and supported her toa chair.
"Give me--a few moments," she gasped, "and I'll be--myself again. Thisshock is awful. Why, we would all have burned up--had you not put thefire out," and her eyes dilated with horror.
"We have no time for words," I said, brusquely. "Here, take thisbrandy, and then let us do everything in our power to save life. Iscarcely know what to do, but something must be done. If we can only dothe right thing, all may yet be well."
In a moment the weakness passed, and she was her brave, quiet self oncemore.
"I won't fail you again," she said resolutely, as she tried to force alittle brandy between Mrs. Yocomb's pallid lips.
"You are a genuine woman," I replied heartily, as I chafed Mrs.Yocomb's wrists with the spirits; "I know how terrible the ordeal hasbeen for you, and most young ladies would have contributed to theoccasion nothing but hysterics."
"And you feared I would."
"I feared worse. You are morbidly timid in a thunder-storm, and Idreaded your learning what you now know beyond measure."
"You were indeed burdened," she said, looking at me with strongsympathy.
"No matter. If you can keep up and suffer no ill consequences from thisaffair, I believe that the rest will come through all right. After all,they are affected only physically, but you--"
"I have been a little weak-minded. I know it. But if it doesn't thunderany more I'll keep up. Ever since I was a child the sound of thunderparalyzed me. Thank God, Mrs. Yocomb is beginning to revive."
"I will leave her in your care, and see if I can do anything for Mr.Yocomb. I thus show that I trust you fully."
As I passed out I heard a faint voice call, "Mother!"
Going to the door of Adah's room I saw that she was conscious, andfeebly trying to rise. As I entered she looked at me in utterbewilderment, then shrank with instinctive fear from the presence of aseeming intruder. I saw the impulse of her half-conscious mind, andcalled Miss Warren, who came at once, and her presence seemedreassuring.
"What's the matter?" she asked, with the same thick utterance that Ihad noted in Mr. Yocomb's voice. It seemed as if the organs of speechwere partially paralyzed.
"You have been ill, my dear, but now you are much better. The doctorwill be here soon," Miss Warren said soothingly.
She seemed to comprehend the words imperfectly, and turned herwondering eyes toward me.
"Oh, that the doctor would come!" I groaned. "Here you have two on yourhands, and Mr. Yocomb is calling."
"Who's that?" asked Adah, feebly pointing to me.
"You remember Mr. Morton," Miss Warren said quietly, bathing the girl'sface with cologne. "You brought him home from meeting this morning."
The girl's gaze was so fixed and peculiar that it held me a moment, andgave the odd impression of the strong curiosity of one waking up in anew world. Suddenly she closed her eyes and fell back faint and sick.At that moment, above the sound of the rain, I heard the quick splashof a horse's feet, and hastened down to greet the doctor.
In a few hasty words I added such explanation of the catastrophe asReuben's partial account rendered necessary, and by the time I hadfinished we were at Mrs. Yocomb's door. Mr. Yocomb seemed sufficientlyat rest to be left for a while.
"This is Miss Warren," I said. "She will be your invaluable assistant,but you must be careful of her, since she, too, has suffered veryseverely, and, I fear, is keeping up on the strength of her brave will,mainly."
The physician, fortunately, was a good one, and his manner gave usconfidence from the start.
"I think I understand the affair sufficiently," he said; "and the bestthing you can do for my patients, and for Miss Warren also, Mr. Morton,is to have some strong black coffee made as soon as possible. That willnow prove an invaluable remedy, I think."
"I'll show you where the coffee is," Miss Warren added promptly."Unfortunately--perhaps fortunately--Mrs. Yocomb let the woman whoassisted her go away for the night. Had she been here she might havebeen another burden."
Even though I had but a moment or two in the room, I saw that thedoctor was anxious about little Zillah.
As Miss Warren waited on me I said earnestly, "What a godsend you are!"
"No," she replied with a tone and glance that, to me, were sweeter andmore welcome than all the June sunshine of that day. "I was here, andyou were sent." Then her eyes grew full of dread, reminding me of thegaze she had bent on the storm before which she had cowered. "The housewas on fire," she said; "we were all helpless--unconscious. You savedus. I begin to realize it all."
"Come, Miss Warren, you now are 'seeing double.' Here, Reuben," I saidto the young fellow, who came dripping in from the barn. "I want tointroduce you in a new light. Miss Warren doesn't half know you yet,and I wish her to realize that you are no longer a boy, but a brave,level-headed man, that even when stunned by lightning could do as muchas I did."
"Now, Richard Morton, I didn't do half as much as thee did. How'smother?" and he spoke with a boy's ingenuousness.
"Doing well under the care of the doctor you brought," I said; "and ifyou will now help me make this dying fire burn up quickly, she willhave you to thank more than any one else when well again."
"I'm going to thank you now," Miss Warren exclaimed, seizing both ofhis hands. "God bless you, Reuben! You don't realize what you have donefor us all."
The young fellow looked surprised. "I only did what Richard Morton toldme," he protested, "and that wasn't much."
"Well, there's a pair of you," she laughed. "The fire put itself out,and Dapple went after the doctor." Then, as if overwhelmed withgratitude, she clasped her hands and looked upward, as she said, inlow, thrilling tones: "Thank God, oh thank God! what a tragedy we haveescaped!"
"Yes," I said, "it might have been a day of fate indeed. Life wouldhave been an unendurable burden if what you feared had happened. What'smore, I would have lost my faith in God had such a home and its inmatesbeen destroyed. The t
hought of it makes me sick," and I sank into achair.
"We must not think of it," she cried earnestly, "for there's much to bedone still. There, I've helped you all I can here. When the coffee'sready, call me, and I'll come for it. Get on dry clothes as soon as youcan, Reuben, for you can be of great service to us upstairs. I'mastonished at you, Mr. Morton, you haven't any nerve at all--you whohave dealt in conflagrations, murders, wars, pestilences, earthquakes,writing them up in the most harrowing, blood-curdling style; you haveabsolutely turned white and faint because the inmates of a farmhousewere shocked. I won't believe you are an editor at all unless you callme within five minutes."
Whether because her piquant words formed just the spur I needed, orbecause she had a mysterious power over me which made her will mine, Ithrew off the depression into which I had reacted from my overwhelmingexcitement and anxiety, and soon had my slowly kindling fire burningfuriously, dimly conscious in the meantime that deep in my heartanother and subtler flame was kindling also.