And if--"
"If it becomes necessary I will wire for a doctor from town. I will
undertake all the preliminary arrangements, if you will allow me."
Ten steps before the corner they stopped.
"God bless you, Miss Deronnais. Remember, I am at the inn if you need
me."
IV
Mrs. Baxter dined placidly in bed at about half-past seven; but she
was more sleepy than ever when she had done. She was rash enough to
drink a little claret and water.
"It always goes straight to my head, Charlotte," she explained. "Well,
set the book--no, not that one--the one bound in white parchment....
Yes, just so, down here; and turn the reading lamp so that I can read
if I want to.... Oh! ask Miss Maggie to tap at my door very softly
when she comes out from dinner. Has she gone down yet?"
"I think I heard her step just now, ma'am."
"Very well; then you can just tell Susan to let her know. How was
Mr. Laurie looking, Charlotte?"
"I haven't seen him, ma'am."
"Very well. Then that is all, Charlotte. You can just look in here
after Miss Maggie and settle me for the night."
Then the door closed, and Mrs. Baxter instantly began to doze off.
She was one of those persons whose moments between sleeping and
waking, especially during a little attack of feverishness, are
occupied in contemplating a number of little vivid pictures of all
kinds that present themselves to the mental vision; and she saw as
usual a quantity of these, made up of tiny details of the day that was
gone, and of other details markedly unconnected with it.
Pages:
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324