Of High Descent Part 46

"Good heavens! Crampton, what is it?" cried Vine excitedly,--"a fit?"

"No, sir, struck down by a villain--a thief--and that thief--"

Crampton stopped short in the midst of his excitement, for there was a heavy step now in the pa.s.sage, and the sergeant of police and one of his men came in.

"Yes. I've had my eye on a couple of strangers lately," he said, as he took out a book and gave a sharp look round. "P'r'aps Mr Crampton, sir, you'll give me the information I want."

"Mr Crampton will give you no information at all," said the keen-looking doctor angrily. "The first thing is to save the man's life. Here, sergeant, and you, my man, help me to carry him up to his bed--or no--well, yes, he'll be better in his own room. Pray, ladies, pray stand aside."

"Yes, yes," cried Madelaine excitedly, as she rose. "Mother, dear, we must be calm and helpful."

"Yes; but--but--" moaned the poor woman.

"Yes, dearest," cried Madelaine, "afterwards. Dr Knatchbull wants our help."

"Good girl," said the doctor, nodding. "Get the scissors, some old linen, and basin, sponge and water, in the bedroom."

"Yes, doctor," said Madelaine, perfectly calm and self-contained now.

"Mother, dear, I want your help."

She knelt down and pressed her lips for a moment to her father's cheek, and then placed her arm round her mother, and led her away.

An hour later, when everything possible had been done, and Mrs Van Heldre was seated by her husband's pillow, Vine being on the other side holding his friend's hand, Madelaine showed the doctor into the next room.

"Tell me," she said firmly. "I want to know the truth."

"My dear child," said the doctor, "you know all that I know. Some scoundrel must have been surprised by your father, and--"

"Doctor," said Madelaine quietly, and with her clear matter-of-fact eyes gazing into his, "I have been praying for strength to help my mother and my poor father in this terrible affliction. I feel as if the strength had been given to me, so speak now as if I were a woman whom you could trust. Tell me the whole truth."

The doctor gazed at her with a look full of admiration, and taking her hand, he said kindly:

"I was treating you as if you were a girl, but I will tell you the truth. I am going to telegraph to town for Mr Reston; there is a fracture and pressure on the brain."

"And great danger, doctor?"

"Yes," he said, after a pause, "and great danger. But, please G.o.d, my child, we will save his life. He is a fine, strong, healthy man.

There: I can say no more."

"Thank you," said Madelaine calmly, and she quietly left the room.

"Any one might think that she did not feel it," said the doctor slowly; "but I know better than that. It's wonderful what a woman will suffer without making a sign. I cannot telegraph till eight o'clock, but I may as well write my message," he muttered, as he went down-stairs. "Humph!

the news is spreading. Somebody come."

Volume 2, Chapter II.

HARRY LOOKS THE FACT IN THE FACE.

Harry Vine checked his headlong pace as soon as he was out of the lane, and walked swiftly along by the harbour till he reached the sea. Here, in the shelter of a rock, he stooped down and lit a cigar, before throwing himself on a patch of shingle, and holding his temples with his hands, as he tried to quell the tumult in his brain and to think calmly.

But it was in vain. He felt half mad, and as if the best way out of his difficulty was to go and leap into the sea.

"Curse Pradelle!" he groaned. "I wish I had never seen him--coward, thief, cheat! Oh, what am I talking about? Why didn't I face it, and tell Van Heldre the honest truth? I was innocent. No, no: I was as bad as Pradelle, and he shall disgorge. Every penny shall go back. If he says no, come what may, I'll out with the whole truth."

"I couldn't help it," he groaned after a pause. "I'd give anything to have frankly told the truth."

He walked quickly home, and a.s.suming a calmness he did not feel, entered the drawing-room, where Louise was seated reading.

"Your company gone?" he said roughly.

"Yes, dear. Papa has walked home with Madelaine."

Harry turned sharply round, for he mentally pictured in one agonising thought the scene at Van Heldre's home.

"Is anything the matter?" asked Louise.

"Matter? No. It's very dark outside, and the light makes one's eyes ache. Seen Pradelle?"

"No, dear," said Louise gravely. "I thought he went out with you."

"Yes, of course, but he likes to go wandering about the town. I wanted a quiet smoke by the waterside. I'm tired. I think I shall go up to bed."

"Do, dear. I'll wait till papa comes."

"Good-night."

"Good-night, Harry dear," she said, rising, and, putting her arms round his neck, she laid her cheek to his. "Good-night, dear. Harry darling, don't worry about the work. Do it like a brave, true man; it will make father so happy."

There was a sudden catching sob in Harry Vine's throat, as, like a flash, the memory of old happy boy and girl days came back. He caught his sister to his breast, and held her tightly there as he kissed her pa.s.sionately again and again.

"My darling brother!" cried Louise as she tightened her grasp about his neck. "And you will try for all our sakes?"

"Yes, yes," he said in a hoa.r.s.e whisper.

"Never mind what poor aunt says. Be a man--a frank, honourable man, Harry. It is the order of the true _haute n.o.blesse_ after all. You will try?"

"Please G.o.d, yes, Lou--so hard--ah, so hard."

"That's like my dear brother once again," she cried, fondling him.

"There, darling, I'm speaking to you like our mother would. Let me be young mother to you as well as sister. You will begin again?"

"Yes, yes, yes," he whispered hoa.r.s.ely; "from this moment, Lou, I will."

"May I say more?" she said gently, as her hand played about his brow.

"Yes, anything, Lou; anything. I've been a fool, but that's all over now."

"Then about Mr Pradelle?"