“I aint seen him, sir,” returned the boy; “but missus said he was, and Amy could not get him to speak.”
“Ah, we will see what ails him. Over work, worry, anxiety of mind, that’s the remote cause, the proximate may be—be—well, apoplexy perhaps.”
“Tell your mistress I will be with her in a few minutes.”
“If you please, sir——”
“Well, what?”
“She said I was not to return without you.”
“Oh, very well, my man, go down stairs and wait, I will be with you shortly.”
The lad went down as requested. Presently he was joined by Dr. Garnet, who hurried off at once to his patient. As a matter of course he found Mrs. Bourne anxiously awaiting his appearance.
“My dear Mrs. Bourne, let me beg of you to bear up against this trial, for such it must prove to be in any case, but we none of us know how soon we may be stricken down; but this is of so sudden a nature that——”
“It is sudden, Dr. Garnet, both sudden and unaccountable.”