“Is it over?” he asked, staring from one to the other with his dazzled eyes.
“At four this afternoon,” answered Alice, scarce able to articulate. “A little girl.”
“She had to have chloroform,” said Virginia, who looked a miserable, lifeless object, and shook like one in an ague.
“And all’s well?”
“We think so—we hope so,” they stammered together.
Alice added that the doctor was to make another call to-night. They had a good nurse. The infant seemed healthy, but was a very, very little mite, and had only made its voice heard for a few minutes.
“She knows you sent for me?”
“Yes. And we have something to give you. You were to have this as soon as you arrived.”
Miss Madden handed him a sealed envelope; then both the sisters drew away, as if fearing the result of what they had done. Widdowson just glanced at the unaddressed missive and put it into his pocket.
“I must have something to eat,” he said, wiping his forehead. “When the doctor comes I’ll see him.”