FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   >>  
. Althea was sure of the best attention while Mrs. Moffat waited on her; and this capable person scarcely left her bedside. Kitty Brett was _her_ right hand, as she herself was Althea's. Kitty was kept upon a steady march, here, there, and everywhere; and she was as willing as was her superior. She could not do enough for one who had been persecuted for the faith. The master of the house kept a steady watch over all. His argus-eye was ever on the alert lest, despite his vigilance, the Catholic priest should be smuggled into the house. Althea was constantly delirious, and it was feared she might die without having recovered her reason. The crisis approached, and Dr. Hardy watched her silently for many hours. He had done his utmost, and though he hoped faintly he feared the worst. Mrs. Moffat's whispered loquacity was awed into silence. Kitty wept silently at the foot of the bed, praying fervently as she wept. Thornton had walked to and fro in his slippers, his long hands crossed upon each other behind his back, casting out occasionally fierce glances from his cavernous brows. He came and stood, like a thundercloud, by the Doctor's side. "Any change?" he whispered. The doctor shook his head. "What do you think, any chance?" The doctor looked at his watch, which he had been holding in his hand. "Yes, while she breathes there's a chance, I suppose," replied the doctor, without looking up, but changing uneasily his position. "Well, I have an awful headache; I will lie down in the next room; if she is worse, you can call me," and the cloud disappeared. Althea had been some time sleeping quietly, neither articulating nor moaning. Dr. Hardy watched her as only doctors watch their patients. It was more to him than a question of life and death--it was somewhat like the alchemist, trembling with hope and fear over his costly dissolvents. At length, Althea's eyes opened, glanced hastily around and closed again. Dr. Hardy was not surprised. For the last half hour he had been expecting this, but he had given no sign. When her eyes again opened, he put some drops to her lips, which she readily swallowed. By-and-bye she gave a look of thorough consciousness, accompanied with an effort to speak. Again, in an hour, she looked earnestly at Dr. Hardy, and moved her lips. He bent low to listen, and only himself caught her words: "Send for the priest." Dr. Hardy frowned. Was this old anxiety going yet to ruin all?
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   >>  



Top keywords:
Althea
 

doctor

 

whispered

 
priest
 

silently

 

watched

 

feared

 

opened

 

chance

 

steady


looked

 
Moffat
 

position

 
changing
 
uneasily
 

question

 

articulating

 

headache

 

disappeared

 

sleeping


quietly

 

moaning

 

patients

 

doctors

 

earnestly

 
effort
 

accompanied

 

consciousness

 

listen

 

anxiety


frowned

 

caught

 
glanced
 

length

 

hastily

 

closed

 

dissolvents

 

trembling

 

costly

 

surprised


readily
 
swallowed
 

expecting

 

alchemist

 

vigilance

 
Catholic
 

smuggled

 
constantly
 
crisis
 

approached