“This is true?” whispered Mrs Braine. “You are not deceiving me?”
“You know,” he replied, gravely; and the ladies shrank away to weep together, while the doctor offered his old friend his hand.
“Bad news?” whispered the doctor.
“The worst. He insists, and it is to be at once.”
“I would sooner kill her,” said the doctor, passionately.
“And I would sooner see her dead.”
They stood thoughtful and silent for a few minutes before the doctor spoke again.
“I never felt our helplessness so much before. Where is Murray?”
Mr Braine told him.
“A good man the less, but we might perhaps get a message to him to make a dash for us here. Braine, will you fight?”