"Very well. Now have patience with me."
"Thomas," whispered the physician, "have the strongest beef tea made, and keep it on hand."
Mr. Vosburgh intercepted the man, and was briefly told what had taken place. "Now there is a chance for them both," the agitated father muttered, as he restlessly paced the room. "Oh, how terribly clouded would our lives be, should he die!"
CHAPTER LII.
MOTHER AND SON.
FOR a time Merwyn did keep quiet, but he soon began to mutter brokenly and unintelligibly. Marian tried to remove her hand to aid the physician a moment, but she felt the feeble tightening of his clasp, and he cried, "No, no!"
This, for days, was the last sign he gave of intelligent comprehension of what was going on around him.
"We must humor him as far as we can in safety," the doctor remarked, in a low whisper, and so began the battle for life.
Day was now dawning, and Thomas was despatched for a very skilful surgeon, who came and gave the help of long experience.
At last Dr. Henderson joined Mr. Vosburgh in the breakfast-room, and the latter sent a cup of coffee to his daughter by the physician, who said, when he returned: "I think it would be well for me to know something about Mr. Merwyn's experience during the past few days. I shall understand his condition better if I know the causes which led to it."