The Merriweather Girls and the Mystery of the Queen's Fan Part 11

"She'll be all right!" He finally spoke to Auntie Gibbs who was almost beside herself with fear. "I don't think she's swallowed much water.

It's probably exhaustion more than anything else. Better get her to bed."

A stimulant injected in Bet's arm soon brought her back to life, and when Auntie Gibbs had wrapped her in blankets and given her a hot drink, the blood began to circulate once more and she smiled up at the old housekeeper.

"Don't worry, Auntie Gibbs, I'm tough!"

And strange to say it was Kit and not Bet who was the more seriously affected by the accident.

As Doctor Snow relaxed his efforts over Bet, Shirley touched him on the arm. "Come and see Kit, Doctor. She's sick. Terribly sick, I'm afraid. She wouldn't let me come any sooner until she knew that Bet was better."

The doctor hastened after Shirley and found Kit shaking with chills.

"Get a bed ready in a hurry," commanded the doctor and as Auntie Gibbs flew up stairs, he said:

"Help me here, Phil. We'll carry her right up."

Kit tried to speak but her voice was only a wheezing rasp and ended in a groan.

When Mrs. Stacey arrived, having been called by Shirley, she was anxious to get Kit to the hospital, but the doctor refused to have her moved. "Everything depends on keeping her quiet and warm during the next few hours."

At six o'clock when Colonel Baxter arrived, he rushed into the house like a man whose reason had left him. He had heard of the accident and had been told that Bet was dying, if not already dead.

"Bet! Oh Bet!" he moaned. His face was deadly white. "Bet! Where is she?"

Shirley was at his side in a moment. "Bet is all right, Colonel Baxter. She's sound asleep now and seems comfortable. It's Kit we're worried about."

Colonel Baxter's face looked relieved for a second, then he realized that if anything happened to Kit some other father would feel as he felt on that ride from the station.

He slipped into Bet's room and looked at her for a moment as if to a.s.sure himself that she was safe, then went to Kit. The doctor was alone at the bedside.

"Will she live, Doctor?" he asked, his voice trembling with emotion.

"It will be a hard pull tonight to keep this from developing into pneumonia. She's strong and ought to pull through--but one never can tell. She's a sick girl."

Mrs. Stacey spoke:

"I do not see how I can impose on you in this way, Colonel Baxter. I feel as if we should get the child to the hospital."

"Please don't say that, Mrs. Stacey. Consider the Manor your home and Kit's until she is perfectly well again. Get the best nurse you know of, Doctor."

"She will need watching every hour tonight if we are to prevent a serious illness. I will remain here, and I've already called up a good nurse."

In the morning Kit was resting quietly. The terrible wheezing had ceased and the fever was coming down.

In her delirium, Kit had cried, "Help, help!" until Bet, awakened by her cries, wrapped herself up and crept into the room.

"Go back to bed," ordered the doctor. "You'll be sick next."

"No, I won't, Doctor Snow. Kit needs me, I must help her. Please let me speak to her. I'm sure I can quiet her."

Bet knelt by the bed and clasped Kit's hand. "Listen Kit," she said quietly but firmly. "This is Bet; I'm all right. We're both safe at home."

Kit started up, "No, no. Bet is drowned! I saw her so white."

"Kit dear, listen to me. This is Bet. I'm right here beside you!"

Bet repeated the sentence over and over until at last the sick brain seemed to grasp the idea and the girl quieted down, and even slept for a few minutes.

"She'll be all right now," the doctor announced to Colonel Baxter, who had come in to inquire how Kit was. "And you'd better get your daughter back to bed. She's been under a strain and needs rest."

The Colonel lifted Bet tenderly in his arms and carried her to her room.

"Sit by me, Dad, I'm frightened," she sighed. "It's so comfortable to have you. I want to hold on to you, then I don't think about that storm."

The Colonel took the little hand in his and held it until she finally relaxed and fell asleep. Not until the lines of strain had left her face, to be replaced by a peaceful expression, did he go back to his own room.

Even then he could not sleep. The details of the storm were pictured in his mind and kept him awake. Adding horror upon horror, he tossed from side to side.

"What if Bet had been drowned!"

Again and again he arose and tiptoed into Bet's room to make sure that she was resting, and that he still had her! Without Bet, life would be unbearable!

CHAPTER VII

LADY BETTY'S ADVENTURE

It was a week before Kit was allowed to see all her friends. Bet was given permission to slip in once in a while, just to rea.s.sure the sick girl that she was all right. Kit kept worrying and would wake up terrified, believing that Bet had been drowned.

Shirley and Joy made daily visits to the Manor. They helped Auntie Gibbs in the kitchen; they did everything they could for the nurse and even helped Mrs. Stacey so she could come and sit with Kit.

Bet was not allowed to get up, as the exposure and strain had made her heart play strange tricks.

"She's just tired, that's all," said the doctor. "Nothing to worry about," he a.s.sured Colonel Baxter, who was anxious as he looked at the pale face of his daughter.

"Tired and half frightened to death," laughed Bet as she pressed her father's hand. "It's good to be near you, Dad."

At first the doctor had forbidden anyone to mention the accident to Kit, but as she seemed to be worrying over something he finally told Bet to go and talk the matter over with her.

"Oh Bet, what do you think of me? It was all my fault!" exclaimed the sick girl, as she raised herself on her elbow.

"That's all nonsense. It was every bit mine. Dad says so and he ought to know."

"But I coaxed you to go across the river," moaned Kit. "I'll never forgive myself!"

"Of course you coaxed me to go across the river, but I should have known what to expect with a sky like that. I just didn't think. Dad says that's no excuse at all."

"Bet, dear, it was terrible sitting there in the bottom of the boat and being too stupid to help any." Kit shuddered at the remembrance.