Part 36 (1/2)

”Dr. Armitage is,” added the younger, from his position at the foot of the bed. ”And he is out of town.”

”That's lucky,” was the sententious comment of the old doctor.

”Why?” asked Theodore, fixing earnest, searching eyes on his face.

”Because Dr. Armitage uses rum, _rum_, RUM, everywhere and always: and ten drops of it would be as certain death to this young man, in his present state, as a dose of prussic acid would.”

”Who is the elder of those two physicians?” questioned Theodore of one of the waiters as they left the room together.

”That's Dr. Arnold, just the greatest man in this city folks think, and the young fellow is Dr. Vincent, a student once, and now a partner of Dr. Arnold.”

Theodore mentally hoped, as he recognized the familiar names, that Dr.

Armitage's absence would be indefinitely prolonged. He glanced into the room where Ben Phillips lay. He was insensible, and had been from the first. Two more physicians were in attendance there, but seemed to be doing nothing, and shook their heads very gravely in answer to Theodore's inquiring look. Mr. Phillips had been seen down town, near the freight office, and thither Jim had gone in search of him. There seemed to be nothing for Theodore but to go to Hastings' Hall himself.

He shrank from it very much--nothing but messages of evil, or scenes of danger, seemed to connect him with this house.

”They will learn to look on me as the very impersonation of evil tidings,” he said, nervously, as he awaited admittance. His peremptory ring was promptly answered by John.

”Was Mr. Hastings in?”

No, he was not; he and Mrs. Hastings had accompanied Mrs. and Miss De Witt to the house of a friend, nine miles distant, and were to be absent two days. In spite of himself Theodore felt a sense of relief.

”Then tell Miss Hastings I would like to see her at once,” was his direction.

John stared.

”It was very early. Miss Hastings had not yet left her room. If Mr.

Mallery could--”

Theodore interrupted him.

”Tell her I must see her at once, or as soon as possible.” And at this opportune moment Dora came down the stairs. Theodore advanced to meet her, and feeling almost certain of the character with which he had to deal, came to the point at once without hesitation or circ.u.mlocution.

”I am not the bearer of good news this morning, Miss Hastings. There has been an accident, and Pliny is injured, not seriously we hope. He is at the Euclid House. Would you wish to go to him at once?”

Dora's face had grown paler, but she neither exclaimed nor fainted, and answered him promptly and firmly.

”I will go to him at once. Mr. Mallery, our carriage is away, will you signal a car for me? I will be ready in five minutes. But tell me this much. Ought I to send for my father and mother?”

”I fear you ought,” said Theodore, gently.

She turned at once, and issued brief, rapid and explicit orders to the waiting John, and in less than five minutes they were in the car. On the way down Theodore gave her what meager knowledge he possessed concerning the accident, withholding the bitter cause of it all, which, however, he saw she too readily guessed. As they pa.s.sed Dr. Armitage's house he said: ”Dr. Armitage is not at home.” And she answered emphatically: ”I am glad of it.” Then he wondered if she were glad for the same reason he was. At noon Mr. and Mrs. Hastings arrived, and before the day was done the other anxious watchers had reason heartily to wish that their coming had been longer delayed. Evidently Dora had not inherited her self-control from her mother, or if she had Mrs.

Hastings had not a t.i.the of it remaining, and her nervousness added not a little to the wildness of the suffering patient. Mr. Hastings on his part seemed anxious and angry, both in one. He said to Dora savagely that he hoped it would teach the reckless fellow a lesson that he would never forget, and resented with haughty silence Dr. Arnold's sententious reply, that ”it was likely to do just that.” Then he openly and unhesitatingly regretted Dr. Armitage's absence, sent twice to his home to learn concerning his whereabouts, and was not improved in temper by learning that he was lying ill at Buffalo; and, finally, with much hesitancy and visible annoyance, that would have provoked to withdrawal a younger and less eminent man, committed the case into Dr. Arnold's hands. The doctor skillfully evaded the questions that were trembling on Mrs. Hastings' lips and hungering in Dora's eyes concerning the nature and extent of Pliny's injuries, which fact led Theodore to be very much alarmed, and yet he was totally unprepared for the abrupt answer which he received when he first found a chance to ask the question in private.

”He hasn't a chance in a hundred; brain is injured; is morally certain to have a course of fever, and he has burned his system so thoroughly with poison that he has no rallying power.”

It was late in the afternoon before the doctor, after issuing very strict and careful orders, left his patient for a few hours. Mr.

Hastings turned at once to Theodore, and spoke in the haughty, half-sarcastic tone which he always a.s.sumed toward him.