Part 85 (2/2)

Mr. Hardie rose hurriedly and put on his hat, and accompanied him, half confused.

Soon Edward's mute agitation communicated itself to him, and he went striding and trembling by his side.

The crowd had gone with insensible Maxley to the hospital, but the traces of the terrible combat were there. Where Maxley fell the last time, a bullock seemed to have been slaughtered at the least.

The miserable father came on this, and gave a great scream like a woman, and staggered back white as a sheet.

Edward laid his hand on him, for he seemed scarce able to stand.

”No, no, no,” he cried, comprehending the mistake at last; ”that is not hers--Heaven forbid! That is the madman's who did it; I knocked him down with his own cudgel.”

”G.o.d bless you! you've killed him, I hope.”

”Oh, sir, be more merciful, and then perhaps He will be merciful to us, and not take this angel from us.”

”No! no! you are right; good young man. I little thought I had such a friend in your house.”

”Don't deceive yourself, sir,” said Edward; ”it's not you I care for:”

then, with a great cry of anguish, _”I love her._”

At this blunt declaration, so new and so offensive to him, Mr. Hardie winced, and stopped bewildered.

But they were at the gate, and Edward hurried him on. At the house door he drew back once more; for he felt a s.h.i.+ver of repugnance at entering this hateful house, of whose happiness he was the destroyer.

But enter it he must; it was his fate.

The wife of the poor Captain he had driven mad met him in the pa.s.sage, her motherly eyes full of tears for him, and both hands held out to him like a pitying angel. ”Oh, Mr. Hardie,” she said in a broken voice, and took him, and led him, wonder-struck, stupefied, s.h.i.+vering with dark fears, to the room where his crushed daughter lay.

CHAPTER x.x.xVIII

MR. HARDIE found his daughter lying ashy pale on a little bed in the drawing-room of Albion Villa. She was now scarce conscious. The old doctor sat at her head looking very grave; and Julia kneeled over her beloved friend, pale as herself; with hands clasped convulsively, and great eyes of terror and grief.

That vivid young face, full of foreboding and woe, struck Mr. Hardie the moment he entered, and froze his very heart. The strong man quivered and sank slowly like a felled tree by the bedside; and his face and the poor girl's, whose earthly happiness he had coldly destroyed, nearly met over his crushed daughter.

”Jane, my child,” he gasped; ”my poor little Jane!”

”Oh let me sleep,” she moaned feebly.

”Darling, it's your own papa,” said Julia softly.

”Poor papa!” said she, turning rather to Julia than to him. ”Let me sleep.”

She was in a half lethargic state.

Mr. Hardie asked the doctor in an agitated whisper if he might move her home. The doctor shook his head: ”Not by my advice; her pulse is scarce perceptible. We must not move her nor excite her, nor yet let her sink into lethargy. She is in great danger, very great.”

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