o
Brantholme, and afterward drove away at top speed in search of
assistance. It was, however, an hour later when they returned with a
doctor, and he looked grave after he had examined his patient.

"Your husband has two ribs broken," he told Mrs. Lansing. "In a way,
that's not very serious, but he seems to be prostrated by the shock.
There are a few things that must be done at once; and then we'll have
to keep him as quiet as possible."

It was two hours later when he left the house, promising to return
early the next day with a nurse; and Herbert lay, still and
unconscious, in a dimly lighted room.

CHAPTER XVII

HERBERT IS PATIENT

On the second morning after the accident, Herbert, lying stiffly
swathed in bandages, opened his eyes in a partly darkened room. A
nurse was standing near a table, and when the injured man painfully
turned his head, the doctor, who had been speaking to her, came toward
him.

"I think we can let you talk a little now," he said. "How do you feel?"

Herbert's face relaxed into a feeble smile.

"Very far from happy. I suppose I've been badly knocked about?"

"I've treated more serious cases, and you'll get over it. But you'll
have to reconcile yourself to lying quiet for a long while."

Herbert made no reply to this, but his expression suggested that he was
trying to think.

"Has the thing got into the papers?" he asked.

The doctor was a little surprised; it seemed a curious point for his
patient to take an interest in, but he was willing to indulge him.

"It's early yet, but one of the _Courier_ people stopped me as I was
driving out and I gave him a few particulars. You can't hush the
matter up."

"No," said Herbert. "You did quite right. Hadn't you better mention
exactly what's the matter with me?"

"If I did, you wouldn't understand it," said the doctor, who generally
adopted a cheerful, half-humorous tone. "In plain English, you have
two ribs broken, besides a number of contusions, and I'm inclined to
suspect your nervous system has received a nasty shock."

"And the cure?"

"Complete rest, patience, and perhaps a change of scene when you're
able to get about."

"That means I'll have to drop all active interest in my business for
some time?"

"I'm afraid so; by and by we'll consider when you can resume it."

It struck the doctor that Herbert was not displeased with the
information; and that seemed strange, considering that he was a busy,
energet