Scarcely more than the three minutes passed before he appeared, already dressed. The two went down the passage silently, entering Mr. Dalrymple's room.
Milton stood beside the bed, watching, and she turned upon Harvey a pair of distressed appealing eyes. Harvey gave her a glance, but at first he said nothing, only stooped to examine the face, to lay his fingers on the wrist. Slade waited near the door, trembling still with agitation, almost sobbing.
But that changed responseless face!—no wonder they had not "liked his look."
"Send for Mr. Pennant," Harvey said.
"Yes, sir. Sir, you think—" faltered Slade.
"Send at once—not a moment's delay!"
Yet as Slade vanished, he bent again to look narrowly under the half-closed eyelids, and almost unconsciously a mutter passed his lips—
"No use! Poor Hermione!"
Mrs. Milton burst into tears.