He raised his hand, and cried out with all his remaining strength, "Tell your good lady I kept my word, and I saved you from harm!"
"Stop!" Gilbert said to the driver, "stop; this man has saved my life. I must come to the Infirmary to see he has proper care and attention."
"You look fit for a 'ospital bed yourself, sir," said the man. "Jump up, and I'll take you for a consideration," he added, with a knowing twinkle of his eye.
Faint and exhausted himself, Gilbert saw the wounded man placed in one of the wards with the others, whose condition was less serious, and, bending over the man, he said:
"I recognise you now. You are Bob Priday?"
The man nodded assent.
"I've been a bad 'un," he said. "I went in for these riots, 'cause I was sick of my life; but I'd like to see your good lady once more, and poor little Sue. Her mother used to reckon her next to a saint, as she sat learning her hymns. I've scoffed and jeered at 'em, and sent the boys to the bad, and threatened the squire. I did not kill him, though; and yet, what do you think, she, the squire's daughter, your good lady, bid God bless me, and let me touch her hand; why, ever since I've kinder felt that if she could pardon, God might."
"He will pardon the chief of sinners, for Christ's sake," said Gilbert.
The man's wound was bleeding profusely, and he soon became confused and wandering; and his face assumed a livid hue as Gilbert bent over him.
"My wife will not forget that you saved my life," he said; "and I know if it is possible she will come and see you, and bring your daughter with her."