t fast chap will get me, I expect."
And Raymond proved a true prophet. Indeed far worse happened than he
anticipated.
Estelle came to watch the cricket after luncheon. She had driven into
Bridport with her father and Raymond in the morning and gone on to Jenny
Ironsyde for the midday meal. Now she arrived in time to witness a
catastrophe. A very fast bowler went on immediately after lunch. He was
a tall and powerful youth with a sinister reputation for bowling at the
man rather than the wicket. At any rate he pitched them short and with
his lofty delivery bumped them very steeply on a lively pitch. Now, in
his second over, he sent down a short one at tremendous speed, and the
batsman, failing to get out of the way, was hit on the point of the jaw.
He fell as though shot and proved to be quite unconscious when picked
up.
They carried him to the pavilion, and it was not until twenty minutes
had passed that Raymond came round and the game went on. But Ironsyde
could take no further part. There was concussion of doubtful severity
and he found himself half blind and suffering great pain in the neck and
head.
Estelle came to him and advised that he should go to his aunt's house,
which was close at hand. He could not speak, but signified agreement,
and they took him there in an ambulance, while the girl ran on to advise
his aunt of the accident.
A doctor came with him and helped to get him to bed. His mind seemed
affected and he wandered in his speech. But he recognised Estelle and
begged her not to leave him. She sat near him, therefore, in a darkened
room and Miss Ironsyde also came.
Waldron dropped in before dusk with the news that Bridport had won, by a
smaller margin than promised, on the first innings. But he found
Raymond sleeping and did not waken him. Estelle believed the injured man
would want her when he woke again. The doctor could say nothing till
some hours had passed, so she went home, but returned a few hours later
to stop the night and help, if need be, to nurse the patient. A
professional nurse shared the vigil; but their duties amounted to
nothing, for Raymond slept through the greater part of the night and
declared himself better in the morning.
He had to stop with his aunt, however, for two or three days, and while
Estelle, her ministration ended, was going away after the doctor
pronounced Raymond on the road to recovery, the patient begged her to
remain. He appeared in a sentimental vein,
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