"You 're very unkind, and—and nasty."
"I daresay you think I am; but I love Miss Margaret, and I know you've been the cause of her illness. I wonder what your mother and father will say."
"Mother will say it was not my fault," Gerald declared stoutly. "I couldn't tell Margaret would be silly enough to go to look for me; and I think you'd better mind your own business, Salome Petherick," he concluded.
He was impressed by the lame girl's plain speaking, and put on a show of anger to hide the fact.
She shook her head at him gravely, as she turned away from the Vicarage gate and went down the hill.
When she reached home, she lit the fire and boiled the kettle for tea, and by that time her father had appeared upon the scene, having had a good catch of fish. His face grew grave when Salome told him of Margaret's illness, and he expressed great regret, for he was grateful to the Fowlers for the notice they had taken of his child. And he volunteered to go to Greystone later on and inquire for the poor little sufferer. This he accordingly did, and brought back the news that Dr. Vawdry had visited the patient again, and had declared her to be dangerously ill, but that Mr. and Mrs. Fowler had not yet come. The carriage had gone to N— to meet them at the railway station, as had been arranged, and they were expected very soon now.
"Don't take on so, my dear," said Josiah kindly, as he noticed Salome's brown eyes full of tears. "The little maid'll pull through, please God. I am grieved about her though—s'pose 'twas you," and he looked at his child with great affection as he reflected on the uncertainty of life. And because it would please her, and with the laudable desire of keeping her from dwelling too much on the thought of Margaret's illness, he spent the evening in her company, and that night his associates at the "Crab and Cockle" looked for him in vain.
[CHAPTER XVI.]
Days of Sickness.
IT was nearly ten o'clock when Mr. and Mrs. Fowler reached Greystone that autumn night. Without waiting for assistance, the latter sprang out of the carriage and ran into the house, and almost into the arms of Miss Conway, who had come down from the sick-room to meet the travellers.