Part 49 (2/2)

”Then the cause is mintil,” said Sampson, ”unless he got a blow on the hid in bein' wrecked.”'

He then examined David's head carefully, and found a long scar.

”But this is not it,” said he; ”this is old.”

Mrs. Dodd clasped her hands, and a.s.sured him it was new to her: her David had no scar there when he left her last.

Pursuing his examination, Sampson found an open wound in his left shoulder.

He showed it them; and they were all as pale as the patient in a moment.

He then asked to see his coat, and soon discovered a corresponding puncture in it, which he examined long and narrowly.

”It is a stab--with a one-edged knife.”

There was a simultaneous cry of horror.

”Don't alarm yourselves for that,” said Sampson; ”it is nothing: a mere flesh-wound. It is the vein-wound that alarms me. This school knows nothing about the paroxysms and remissions of disease. They have bled and cupped him for a _pa.s.sing fit._ It has pa.s.sed into the cold stage, but no quicker than it would have done without stealing a drop of blood.

To-morrow, by disease's nature, he will have another hot fit in spite of their bleeding. Then those ijjits would leech his temples; and on that paroxysm remitting by the nature of the disease, would fancy their leeches had cured it.”

The words were the old words, but the tone and manner was so different: no shouting, no anger: all was spoken low and gently, and with a sort of sad and weary and worn-out air.

He ordered a kettle of hot water and a quant.i.ty of mustard, and made his preparations for the hot fit, as he called it, maintaining the intermittent and febrile character of all disease.

The patient rambled a good deal, but quite incoherently, and knew n.o.body.

But about eight o'clock in the morning he was quite quiet and apparently sleeping: so Mrs. Dodd stole out of the room to order some coffee for Sampson and Edward. They were nodding, worn out with watching.

Julia, whose high-strung nature could dispense with sleep on such an occasion, was on her knees praying for her father.

Suddenly there came from the bed, like a thunder-clap, two words uttered loud and furiously--

”HARDIE! VILLAIN!”

Up started the drowsy watchers, and rubbed their eyes. They had heard the sound, but not the sense.

Julia rose from her knees bewildered and aghast: she had caught the strange words distinctly--words that were to haunt her night and day.

They were followed immediately by a loud groan, and the stertorous breathing recommenced, and the face was no longer pale, but flushed and turgid. On this Sampson hurried Julia from the room, and, with Edward's help, placed David on a stool in the bath, and getting on a chair, discharged half a bucket of cold water on his head: the patient gasped: another, and David shuddered, stared wildly, and put his hand to his head; a third, and he staggered to his feet.

At this moment Mrs. Dodd coming hastily into the room, he looked steadily at her, and said, ”Lucy!”

She ran to throw her arms round him, but Sampson interfered. ”Gently!

gently!” said he; ”we must have no violent emotions.”

”Oh, no! I will be prudent.” And she stood quiet with her arms still extended, and cried for joy.

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