Mr. Sutherland stood just outside giving orders, and the beam was slowly finding its way to the top, when there was a sudden strain of the ropes, and they cracked and parted.
Tom saw what was coming just in time to seize Lillie, who was standing beside him, and throw her violently from him out into the green grass of the lawn, and then the heavy timber had fallen into the house, crushing in the part already finished, and with it the boy who stood under its shadow.
“Oh, papa!” said Lillie, standing on her feet in the long green grass, and half crying, “Tom hurt me so bad.”
“Hush!” said her father in reply. “Go home to your mother. Tom is under those ruins.”
It was with a very white face that he gave quick directions that the timbers should be removed, and Lillie, as soon as she saw what had happened, never moved. The news spread like lightning, and a group of pained, grave faces soon gathered round the crushed building, to see if possible whether the human body covered with the fearful weight had still life within it.
When at length they lifted Tom from the ruins, he was found to be wounded and bruised terribly, but there was life still there, for the heart was beating. With a tinge of returning color in his face, Mr. Sutherland announced as much to the people, who stood waiting, thankful that the life was spared; and then, taking the trembling hand of his little daughter in his, he gave his orders.
“Take Tom into my house, and put him in the south room. Tell Aunt Dinah that no pains must be spared to relieve him, and tell Gordon to order the horse immediately and I will ride for Dr. Bartier.”
CHAPTER VIII.
“It is well!”