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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
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