Part 22 (1/2)

”Yes,” Dr. Arthur told him, ”she is coming out of it, and if another does not follow, she will come around all right in time. If you could only find that housekeeper,” he added, ”she must have good care through the night.”

”I will go for her again,” said Mr. G.o.ddard, and he started downstairs upon his quest.

He met the woman on the second floor and just coming up the back stairs.

”Ah! Mrs. Weld, I am glad to find you. We have needed you sadly,” he eagerly exclaimed.

”I am sorry,” the woman replied, in a regretful tone. ”I was unavoidably engaged and came just as soon as I was at liberty. What is this I hear?” she continued, gravely; ”what is this story about the poor child being cheated into a real marriage with madam's brother? Is it true?”

”Hus.h.!.+ no one must hear such a version,” said Mr. G.o.ddard, looking anxiously about him.

He then proceeded to explain something of the matter, for he saw that she knew too much to keep still, unless she was told more, and cautioned not to discuss the matter with the servants.

”I knew nothing of the plot until it was all over--I swear to you I did not,” he said, when she began to express her indignation at the affair. ”I never would have permitted anything of the kind to have been carried out in my house, if I had suspected it. It seems that Correlli has been growing fond of her ever since he came. She has refused him twice, but he swore that he would have her, in spite of everything, and it seems that he concocted this plot to accomplish his end.”

”Well, sir, he is a dastardly villain, and, in my opinion, his sister is no better than himself,” Mrs. Weld exclaimed, in tones of hot indignation, and then she swept past him and on up to Edith's room.

She opened the door and entered just as the poor girl heaved a long sigh and unclosed her eyes, looking about with complete consciousness for the first time since she fell to the floor in the parlor below.

The physician immediately administered a stimulant, for she was naturally weak and her pulses still feeble.

As this began to take effect, memory also resumed its torturing work.

Lifting her eyes to the housekeeper, who went at once to her side, a spasm of agony convulsed her beautiful features.

”Oh, Mrs. Weld!” she moaned, s.h.i.+vering from head to foot.

”Hush, child!” said the woman, bending over her and laying a gentle hand upon her head; ”it will all come right, so just shut your eyes and try to go to sleep. I am going to stay with you to-night, and n.o.body else shall come near you. Don't talk before the servants,” she added, in a swift whisper close to her ear.

An expression of intense relief swept over the fair sufferer's face at this friendly a.s.surance, and lifting a grateful look to the housekeeper's face, she settled herself contentedly upon her pillow.

Dr. Arthur then drew Mrs. Weld to the opposite side of the room, where he gave her directions for the night and what to do in case the fainting should return--which, however, he said he did not antic.i.p.ate, as the action of the heart had become normal and the circulation more natural.

A little later he took his leave, after which the housemaids were dismissed and Edith was alone with her friend.

When the door closed after them the girl stretched forth her hands in a gesture of helpless appeal to the woman.

”Oh, Mrs. Weld,” she wailed, ”must I be bound to that wretch during the remainder of my life? I cannot live and bear such a fate! Oh, what a shameful mockery it was! I felt, all the time, as if I were committing a sacrilege, and yet I never dreamed that I was being used so treacherously--”

The housekeeper sat down beside the excited girl, whose eyes were burning with a feverish light, and who showed symptoms of returning hysteria.

She removed her spectacles, and taking both of those trembling hands in hers, looked steadily into the troubled eyes.

”My child,” she said, in a gentle, soothing tone, ”you must not talk about it to-night--you must not even think about it. I have told you that it will all come out right; no man could hold you to such a marriage--no court would hold you bound when once it is understood how fraudulently you had been drawn into it.”

”But who is going to be able to prove that it was fraudulent?”

questioned Edith with increasing anxiety. ”Apparently I went to the altar with that man of my own free will; with all the semblance of sincerity I took those marriage vows upon me and then received the congratulations of all those guests as if I were a real wife. Oh, it was terrible! terrible! terrible!” and her voice arose almost to a shriek of agony as she concluded.

”Hus.h.!.+ not another word! Edith look at me!” commanded Mrs. Weld with gentle but impressive authority.