Part 2 (1/2)
Jack cliine, followed by the doctor, who at once sat down on the driver's seat and proceeded to inspect sundry instrues hich two capacious side pockets of his coat were stocked He was as cool as if on an ordinary journey
Carefully selecting three of his instruments, he put the case back in his pocket, and commenced to cut a sheet of lint into save to Jack to hold Then he rose to his feet, and looked along the line in front, waiting quietly for the ine should reach the scene of the disaster, and enable hi the injured What a contrast there was between this dapper littlefor his work to begin with a quietness born of long experience, and Jack, standing on the other side of the foot-plate, dodging his head fro the bundle of lint with fingers which treainst his ribs with a force which alhtened hi encouragingly at hi was ever done well in a hurry Keep cool, and you will be able to help me considerably Ah, there it is! We shall be close up in a few seconds”
As the doctor spoke the engine ran round a wide curve, and caht of the spot where the accident had occurred The axle of the driving-wheels of the express engine had suddenly snapped, causing the whole train to leave the rails, and plough along on the gravel Then the heavy engine had suddenly toppled over and coes had been piled on top of it and on one another in hopeless confusion
It was indeed a dreadful disaster The guard's van and the first passenger truck lay crushed out of all shape on the gravel, while on top of the wheels and shattered ork, the whole being sure of all, the end of which was thrown up as high as a house in the air
About twenty men had already collected near, and these at once set to work, at Dr Hanly's orders, to cliers Jack joined in the work, feeling giddy and thoroughly upset at the awful sights he saw, and dreading that every body taken froe would prove to be his father's
But the doctor, guessing what his feelings were, called hiers, and kept him hard at work for an hour at least; so that when Captain Somerton's body was at last discovered, crushed alnition, Jack was not there to see it and be shocked at the sight Indeed, he did not hear the tidings for so Jack was so otten his nervousness, and was applying splints and bandages together with his friend with a skill and coolness which would have done credit to an older hand But all the ti that a calamity had befallen him
When all the injured had been seen to, Jack was at liberty tothe killed
”It is a sad thing,hirief is natural, for you have lost the best friend you ever had in the world Go home now and break the news I will come to-morrow, and after that, if you are in any difficulty co ones for Jack Frae was even st the in to one another about the terrible accident which had led to Captain So and giving evidence at the inquest; then there was the funeral, after which Mrs Soe with Dr Hanly, a few relatives of the deceased captain, and two austere gentlemen, who proved to be lawyers The will of the late owner of the house was then produced
A quarter of an hour later it had been read, the party had broken up, and Jack found hie and all the wealth his father had possessed, and alone in the world save for a stepmother and stepbrother who cared little for hi his life He had married, for the second time, a woman upon whonised too late, but not so late as to prevent hily
”_I leave to my son, John Hartly Somerton, all that I possess_,” ran the will, ”_to be held in trust by my wife and Dr Hanly, the fore till the said John Hartly Soe of twenty-six_”
Mention was made that Mrs Somerton had sufficient means of her own to live in the same style as before In addition to this, there were various sacies to the servants, a sum was set aside for Jack's education and for his expenses in entering the are until it caement
”Come over and see me to-morrow, Jack,” whispered the doctor as soon as the will had been read ”I auardian to you, and shall feel it ive you advice I shall be in about tea-time, e can be sure of a quiet chat”
”Thanks, Doctor,” replied Jack ”You can expectafternoon, therefore, Jack e and away up the hill to the doctor's house
”Now,to do with yourself?” asked the doctor, when they had finished their tea and were strolling in the garden
”Well, first of all, as you know, Doctor, I ao back to school
I am awfully sorry, as I have been very happy there, and we hoped to pull off soood cricket matches this term But now that is all knocked on the head forthat so to happen to hifor the army immediately his death occurred He mentioned that he would like me to read at hoo straight up to London, as I had intended all along You know Frank and I are not too friendly We don't get on well together; and I'm afraid I don't hit it off very ith Mother either”
”Yes, I know that, my boy It's very unfortunate,” remarked Dr Hanly
”Still, it is the case I believe you will do well to go up to London at an early date, for, if I ae, you are still more likely to quarrel at home now that there is no one to keep the peace Think it over, and if you ain, and ill arrange to go up together London is a very big place, and it is a good thing to have a friend or two there when you go
I have many, and will ask the It would not do to leave home immediately after your father's death”
Jack rode slowly back to the Grange, and long before he got there had come to the decision that it would be best for all if he left ho city
”We're certain to have rows if I stay,” he thought ”Then perhaps Frank will try to bosseveryone a good turn by going”
His conviction was strengthened during the next few days, for the very sight of him seemed to be an annoyance to his stephly incensed at the contents of her husband's will At the least she had expected a third, or perhaps more, of the estate to be left to Frank But that all should have gone to Jack was a bitter pill which she found too difficult to s