Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-01-14
Chapter ".

Chapter ".
started for Ayshurst. of course as
soon as | received the telegram.
Had Philip been an ordinary man. the
telegram would have worried me a
great deal. AS it was, | was by no
means sure that he intended me to
take it seriously and that he would
not laugh at me on my arrival. Even
if he meant me to come, it was quite
possible that it was for some perfectly
trivial object. In short, l knew that
it might mean anything or nothing.
had telegaphed back to say by
what train l was coming. The dog
cart was waiting for me at Ayshurst,
and one glance at the face of the man
who drove it was enough to make me
ask him what was wrong at Sinden.
He told me that there had been a bad
accident, that Philip had been terribly
hurt, and that it was very doubtful
whether he would still be alive on my
arrival. The man drove hard, and
there was no one to tell me the detail
before we were at the door of the
house
The door was opened at once, before
| could knock or ring. not by Carter
but by an old gentleman with his cuffs
turned back. He was self possessed,
but he spoke quickly. Mr.. Derri-
mer?"
Yes. You are the doctor?"
II am DR.. Ingwold. You are just
in time. He says that he cannot die
until he has seen you
There is no hope?"
None, there never has been. | have
| been here since the early morning
when it happened, but can only make
the pain rather less for him. You
had better go in to him at once"
Yes" / went towards the stair
case. The doctor touched me on the
shoulder
Not upstairs" he said. HE is in
the study 1t would have been cruelty
to carry him any further than was
necessary
We went down a passage to the
study. At the door the doctor said;
There is nurse there, but she will
come and wait outside with me. He
was conscious when left him"
Within ! heard a faint repeated
groan.
! entered the room. A bed had been
put there, and the nurse was just turn
ing away from it with glass in her
hand. Little details in the room
seemed as if they would be noticed by
me even against my will. There was
a black morocco handbag on the
table, bearing the initials r. II. l. in
gilt | found myself puzzled, and then
deciding that it must belong to the
doctor. There was a faint smell of
some anaesthetic-I wondered what it
was. | noticed a grotesque design in
vermilion on an old brown leather
screen-was surprised that everything
was in order and that the room was
so little changed. All ths passed
through my mind in a second, as
The nurse came up to me, and asked
me to go quite close to the bed 80
that he need only speak in a whisper
Then she slipped out of the room
Philip lay on the bed There was
only a sheet over him. His torn and
broken body could not bear the weight
Of heavy bedclothes. A bandage over
his forehead had fantastic effect like
turban. There was death in his face
and death in his changed voice. He
did not move, but his eyes turned to
me.
Thank you for having come. Ed
ward. Everything else Is settled
waited only to see you. wanted to
ask you II you would be Wilmays
guardian"
yes. You should have been sure
Of that"
Il was. but wanted TO ask # And
you'll do the best you can for her.
All that I can"
That's good OF you. She was here
little while ago, but wouldn't let
her stay-scenes like this are not-we
just said goodbye You take charge
of everything. All papers are in the
safe in the library Mrs. Blayd will
give you the keys" There was long
pause. and then he said "I'n 80 sorry
that cannot give you my hand
| could not answer put one hand
lightly on his shoulder, watching his
face TO be sure that IT did net hurt
him. He seemed TO become drowsy
his eyes closed, and ! do not think he
knew any longer that I was in the
room. His voice was nuch weaker:
he spoke at intervals but ! did MOI
always hear what he said Once
caught the words-"A long day" and
afterwards, land then IL becomes much
more quiet" Sometimes heard Will
nays name. He may have thought
that he was speaking TO her. Then
his lips moved nc more. and in the