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