“It must be twenty minutes, I should think.”
“Oh—longer than that, I’m sure!” exclaimed Katharine, whose suffering lengthened time.
“He’ll be here presently, then,” said Mrs. Deems, somewhat reassured. “How do you feel, Mr. Lauderdale? A little weak?”
“All right,” growled the broken voice. “Take care of Katharine.”
But he did not open his eyes, and spoke rather as though he were dreaming, than as if he were awake.
“Provided he’s at home,” said Ralston, half aloud and thinking of the doctor. “Hadn’t we better send for some one else, too?”
He addressed the question to everybody, in a general way.
“Best wait till the carriage comes back,” suggested Mrs. Deems.
This seemed sensible, and a silence followed which lasted some time. Ralston stood motionless beside the nurse. Katharine had swallowed some tea and lay quietly in her chair, while the skilful woman did her best with the ice and napkins. The old man’s jaw had dropped a little, and he was breathing heavily, as though asleep. Mrs. Deems did not like the sound, for she glanced at him more and more uneasily.
“There, Miss Katharine,” she said, at last, “that’s the best we can do till the doctor comes. I think it’s only the small bone that’s broken, but I don’t like to handle it. I guess it’s better to leave it so till he comes. Best not try to move yourself.”