Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-09-03
CHAPTER VII.

Grace's shrels rang through the silent
house The wife flung herself on the
ground by her husbands side, voiceless,
in dumb agony. clnging to the pro-
strate form, kissing the pallid face, inn
plOring for word a look
He was loosely dressed in trousers, and
velvet dressing gown, dressed like n man
who had risen hastily at strange sound,
prepared To meet a midnight 'ntrIier.
His wife opened his dressing gown and
laid her ear against his breast Yes, the
heart was heating stll-feebly, as it
seemed to her, n beat which might
dwindle into silence at any moment a
thread of life that might snap while she
listened.
Servants came. sleepy, confused, all
talking at once. Then, Dora Darnel, very
delicate and dainty in a flowing white
garment with pale pink ribbons; then the
colonel, in an old red velvet dressing
gown, which made him look like a
wizard
For Gods sake, let some one 60 for the
doctor" said Clara, without lifting her
head; then, as Stukely knelt on the other
side of his friends PROSTATE form, 30.
colonel you can help us. You will know.
Is it a dangerous wound? Does it mean
DEATH
"Not death, no, no. God forbid said
the colonel, 1T is nasty wound;
terrible loss of blood The bullet has hit
rather low, just below the ribs. What
was he doing with that accurscd re-
volverf'
II don't know. They were on the table.
He was looking at them an hour ago, be-
fore he went to bed"
you don't know said the colonel,
wonderngly- weren't you in the room
when it happened>'
NO. ! was in the corridor. | had been
in Grace's ROOM
ale was alone, then"
IL suppose So
ooh. my poor. poor brother" calculated
Dora "To think that he should have lifted
his hand to take away his own life. lie,
so good Christian; he, who used to be so
happy
How dare You say that he tried to take
his own life?' said Clare, not loudly, but
with intense indignation. You know that
he is happy: that he has never known care
since he has been my husband, except his
too thoughtful care for me. ON, my darl-
ling, what evil things will not be said OF
me while your voice is silent to Defend
she added apostrophizing her unconscious
husband with passionate love.
There will always be voice to defend
you-were defense needed-while Allan's
friend is at your side said the colonel,
quietly.
Purdew, the old butler, was in the room
kneeling by his master. He, too, had seen
gunshot wounds, and he knew that this
was "A desperate one.
A groom had ridden off for the doctor.
They heard the clatter of hoofs just now
galloping along the avenue: but, let him
gallop as he might, it must he more than
half an hour before the doctor could ar
rive The colonel and Purdew did all that
could be done to stanch the blood which
oozcd slowly from Sir Allan's side. 1t was
terrible half hour, a half-hour of agony,
in which every moment might bring the
fatal end to their fainting hopes.
Clare Darnel crouched upon the ground
beside her husband, hanging over him with
white lips and despairng eyes, watching
his chastity face with countenance that
was almost as dcath-like.
ale will die" she kept saying to herself;
''he will die by the hand of my son. Oh,
God why did ever link my accurscd life
with hisy"
At last there came the sound of horses,
hoofs again, galloping up the avenue-two
horses this time and sounding i'll the night
silence like siX-then the opening of doors
below, and then footsteps in the corridor,
and the doctor was amidst them, stout,
elderly man. commonplace, but clever,
man to be relied on in calamity
lie put them all aside and knelt down
on one knee to examine his patient; and
then, without expressing any opinion, he
ordered every one out of the room except
the colonel and purdew.
"Grace, take care of Lady Darnel,' said
the colonel and Grace put her arm around
her stepmother and tried to lead her from
the ROOM the girl blinded by her tears, the
womans eyes dry and burning. She had
not yet shed tear.
mo, Grace" she said; 81 will not go
away. If | must not stay in this room, |
will wait in the corridor l will not 90 far
| from Allan
At the mere mention of her husbands
name she burst into a flood Of tears, the
! first relief that had come to her since that
| first shock of her reprobate sons entrance.
1t was in vain that Grace pleaded,
in vain that Dora lectured. Glare Oar
mel would not move beyond the out
side OF the morning room door She knelt
with her ear against the key-hole, knelt
there, listening, and praying dumbly now
and then, till the doctor came out, after
delay of an hour or more
"Will he diey" she asked, Selling the doc
tors arm.
Mr. Danvers, the family doctor, looked
grave and shook his head
at is bad case, Lady Darnel."
"But not hopeless-oh, for Gods sake
say it is not hopeless"
ave shall have Mr. Friedricson here to-
morrow morning. answered the doc
tor. ale can tell you better than L.
"And my beloved NAV die in the night.