gig. He, too, knelt beside the injured man, a quick glance having
satisfied him that there was only one patient requiring his care. Harold
stood up and waited. The doctor looked up, shaking his head. Harold
could hardly suppress the groan which was rising in his throat. He
asked:

'Is it immediate? Should his daughter be brought here?'

'How long would it take her to arrive?'

'Perhaps half an hour; she would not lose an instant.'

'Then you had better send for her.'

'I shall go at once!' answered Harold, turning to jump on his horse,
which was held on the road.

'No, no!' said the doctor, 'send some one else. You had better stay here
yourself. He may become conscious just before the end; and he may want
to say something!' It seemed to Harold that a great bell was sounding in
his ears.--'Before the end! Good God! Poor Stephen!' . . . But this was
no time for sorrow, or for thinking of it. That would come later. All
that was possible must be done; and to do it required a cool head. He
called to one of the lads he knew could ride and said to him:

'Get on my horse and ride as fast as you can to Normanstand. Send at
once to Miss Norman and tell her that she is wanted instantly. Tell her
that there has been an accident; that her father is alive, but that she
must come at once without a moment's delay. She had better ride my horse
back as it will save time. She will understand from that the importance
of time. Quick!'

The lad sprang to the saddle, and was off in a flash. Whilst Harold was
speaking, the doctor had told the men, who, accustomed to hunting
accidents, had taken a gate from its hinges and held it in readiness, to
bring it closer. Then under his direction the Squire was placed on the
gate. The nearest house was only about a hundred yards away; and thither
they bore him. He was lifted on a bed, and then the doctor made fuller
examination. When he stood up he looked very grave and said to Harold:

'I greatly fear she cannot arrive in time. That bleeding from the ears
means rupture of the brain. It is relieving the pressure, however, and
he may recover consciousness before he dies. You had better be close to
him. There is at present nothing that can be done. If he becomes
conscious at all it will be suddenly. He will relapse and probably die
as quickly.'

All at once Norman opened his eyes, and seeing him said quietly, as he
looked around:

'What place is this, Harold?'