There was a long pause, finally broken by Hugh.
“Will you be going home by Hansen’s to-night, Doctor?”
“I can as well as any other way,” the doctor said, glad to hear voices again.
“Will you ask Hansen to come over in the morning, then?” Hugh asked.
Both Doctor Morgan and John Hunter looked over at Hugh sharply, wondering what he could want of Luther, but the sick man closed his eyes as a way of ending the argument. Doctor Morgan dropped his finger on the patient’s wrist again and looked at John warningly:
“I think I’ll be going. You stay with Noland, Hunter. I want a word with Mrs. Hunter before I go. I’ll stop at Hansen’s, Noland.”
Doctor Morgan took Elizabeth out and questioned her closely about the diet and other important matters, but was able to elicit nothing new.
“I’ve been encouraged of late,” the old doctor said, shaking his head, “but here he is as bad as ever—that is, as discouraged and restless. Have you been reading to him lately? What’s on his nerves, anyhow?”
When the doctor could get no additional information regarding Hugh’s condition from Elizabeth, he gave it up and turned his attention to the girl herself.
“I told him you were as fine as a dollar, but I’m not sure about you. I’m going to bring you a tonic to-morrow. I’ll be out in the morning, early, and I’ll try and see him to-morrow night late. I don’t like the way he looked to-night. Say, you don’t know what he wants of Hansen do you?”