“The lady may not be dead! This may be a swoon from loss of blood. In such a swoon she would be pulseless and breathless, or seem so! let me try! I have seen many a swoon from loss of blood, as well as many a death from the same cause, in my military experience,” said Captain Pendleton, pushing forward and kneeling by the sofa, and beginning his tests, guided by experience.
His words and actions unbound the spell of horror that had till then held the assembled company still and mute, and now all pressed forward towards the sofa, and bent over the little group there.
“Air! air! friends, if you please! Stand farther off. And some one open a window!” exclaimed Captain Pendleton, peremptorily.
And he was immediately obeyed by the falling off of the crowd, one of whom threw open a window.
“Some one should fetch a physician!” suggested Beatrix Pendleton, whose palsied tongue was now at length unloosed.
And half a dozen gentlemen immediately started for the stables to dispatch a messenger for the village doctor from Blackville.
“And while they are fetching the physician, they should summon the coroner also,” suggested a voice from the crowd.
“No! no! not until we have ascertained that life is actually extinct,” exclaimed Captain Pendleton, hastily; at the same time seeking and meeting the eyes of Mr. Berners, with a meaning gaze said:
“If we cannot restore the dead woman to life, we must at least try to save the living woman from unspeakable horrors!”
Mr. Berners turned away his head, with a deep groan.