"Nonsense," the surgeon said. "However, it will be better that she should retire; but let her wait outside, close at hand, in case he wishes to speak to her."
Sarah Holl followed the servants into the hall. The doctor poured a few drops of cordial between Captain Bayley's lips, and placed some strong salts beneath his nostrils.
"You think he will come round?" Alice asked.
"He will come round," the doctor said confidently; "his pulse is gaining power rapidly. It is not paralysis, but a sort of fainting-fit, brought on, I should imagine, by some sudden shock; his heart is weak, and there was a sudden failure of its powers. I have warned him over and over again not to excite himself. However, I think there is no great harm done this time; but he must be careful in future; another such attack and it might go hard with him. See, he is coming round." In a few minutes Captain Bayley opened his eyes and looked round vaguely.
"Lie quiet for a little while, my dear sir," the doctor said cheerfully; "you have been ill, a sort of fainting-fit, but you will be all right in a short time. Drink this glass of cordial." He lifted his patient's head, and held the glass to his lips. As Captain Bayley drank it Alice placed a pillow under his head.
"How was it?" Captain Bayley asked, in a low tone.
"We don't know," the Doctor said; "but don't think about it at present. What you have to do now is to get quite strong again; it will be time afterwards for you to think what upset you. You have given Miss Hardy here quite a fright."
Captain Bayley nodded to Alice. "I never did such a thing before," he said. "I was reading here in the library——" Then he stopped, a sudden flush came to his face.
"Don't agitate yourself, my dear sir," the Doctor said soothingly, "agitation now would be a very serious thing. Drink a little more of this."
Captain Bayley did as he was told, and then asked—