The attendant replaced his head on the pillow, smoothed his bedclothes and withdrew to take away the glass.
In a moment he came back, bent over the still half-comatose man and inquired softly:
“How do you feel, Capt. Montgomery?”
“I—I—I—feel——” muttered Gentleman Geff, and then swooned into the slumber of weakness.
Some one silently opened the door and came in. It was the rector.
“How is your patient, Longman?” he inquired.
“Sir, he has just swallowed more liquid than he has since he has been ill; and he has spoken for the first time,” replied the nurse.
“Coherently?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What did he say?”