Part 49 (1/2)

”Well, I was waiting there, just on the chance of seeing you. Mamma was so dreadfully anxious about you that I wanted to do something.

At any rate, I could not sit quiet at home. There are never more than two trains with pa.s.sengers in a day, sometimes only one; so I have been staying down in the town, most of the days since I came home--having paid one of the railway people to send me word, directly the train was telegraphed as starting from Dole.”

”How long is it since my letter arrived?”

”Nearly three weeks, Ralph; fortunately it came four or five days before a letter from Tempe, saying that he feared you were killed.

Not having heard again, they were terribly anxious.”

”I had no means of writing,” Ralph said. ”The English ambulance--through whom my letter was sent--moved down to Vendome, the very day after I wrote; and I had no other way of sending my letter.”

”I said it was something of that sort. I pointed out to them that it was evident, by what you said, that the fever had pa.s.sed off, and that you only wanted strength; but that being in hiding, of course, you could not write. I gave you three weeks to get strong enough to start, and four or five days to manage to get through the lines; so that by my calculation you were just due, when you arrived.

”It has pulled you down, Ralph, very much. I wish I had been there to nurse you.”

”Thank you, Percy. Fortunately I did fall into very good hands, and was well looked after. I hope papa has not been over anxious about me?”

”I think he has been nervous, Ralph; but he did not show it, but talked cheerfully to keep up mamma and Milly.”

”And are you quite strong again, Percy?”

”Yes, I think I am nearly as strong as ever, Ralph.

”There, we are just at the house, now. You had better wait outside; while I go in and let them know, gradually, that you are home. I came in like a fool, suddenly, and mamma fainted--she says for the first time in her life--and Milly went into hysterics, and cried and laughed so wildly that you might have heard her in Dijon. She frightened me nearly out of my senses.”

Ralph remained, accordingly, outside the door; while Percy went in alone. The others had finished tea.

”You are a little late, Percy,” Mrs. Barclay said. ”We gave you twenty minutes' law. It is not the least matter, your being late; but I do not think it is wise to be out, these bitter nights, until you are quite strong.”

”I am quite strong, mamma, as strong as ever,” Percy laughed; but his laugh was, in spite of himself, a little unnatural.

His father looked sharply up.

Percy sat down, and drank a little of the tea his mother handed to him.

”I waited for the train to come in,” he said, ”and--of course it may not be so--but I heard of someone who, by the description, seemed to be Ralph.”

”What was it, Percy, what was it?” Milly cried; while her mother gazed at him with a pale face, and appealing eyes.

”Don't agitate yourself, mamma dear--you see, it may not be true, after all--but among the people in the train was one who had come straight from Bourges. I spoke to him, and he said that he had heard--by a friend who had come straight from Vierzon--that a young officer had just arrived there, in disguise; who had been wounded, and in hiding, ever since the capture of Orleans. You know, mamma, it is just the time I calculated he would be coming; and from the fact of his being a young staff officer, and in disguise, I have very little doubt it is Ralph.”

Captain Barclay rose from his seat and--standing for a moment behind his wife's chair--looked at Percy, and then at the door, inquiringly. Percy nodded.

Captain Barclay leaned over, and kissed his wife

”Thank G.o.d, dear, for all His mercies! Another day or two, and we shall be having him home.”

”Thank G.o.d, indeed!” Mrs. Barclay said; ”but though I hope--though I try to think it was him--perhaps it was not, perhaps--”

”No, mamma,” Percy said, ”from some particulars he gave, and from what he said, I feel almost sure--I may say I am quite sure--it is Ralph. I would not say so, you know, unless I felt very certain.”

Mrs. Barclay felt that he would not, and fell into her husband's arms, crying softly with happiness.