“Did you notice that he moved as though he had no power in his left side?” he said. “Foster and Broomfield, come here and help me. Armadale, you go and tell Miss Carrington tactfully.”
We left consternation behind us when after the return of the unwilling Armadale we carried the Colonel into his great bedroom where he lay breathing stertorously while Foster remained to assist his sister. Then the murmurs broke out as I returned, and each man looked at his neighbor in dismay, until there was once more stillness when dressed in some clinging white fabric Grace stood with a stern, cold face in the doorway.
“You have spoken sufficient for one day,” she said, and some of those who heard her afterward observed how like her voice was to her father’s. “Enough to kill my father between you. May I ask you, now that you can do no more, to leave this house in quietness.”
The climax had filled them with consternation. They had acted in all honesty, and I cannot think they were to blame, but the riders of Carrington, stalwart, courageous men, slunk out like beaten dogs under the gaze of the girl. When they had gone, she beckoned me.
“Ride hard to the railroad, and don’t return without a doctor from Winnipeg. I wish to hear no excuses or explanations. Every moment is precious—go!”
I went, much as did the others, and found Lyle who looked very shamefaced fumbling with his saddle cinch outside.
“It’s an unfortunate business, but of course we never expected such a sending—heaven forbid!” he said. “Well, if the wires will do it we’ll bring out the best doctor they’ve got in Winnipeg. With all respect to them I 360 shouldn’t like to be Foster left behind to face those two women. Go home, and abuse me for making an unprecedented mess of it if you like, the rest of you!”
It was a hard ride to the railroad, for we did not spare the beasts, and when the instrument clicked out a message that the doctor was ready but could not start before the next day’s train Lyle wired back, “Come now in a special. We guarantee expense.”
Then he turned to me. “I think we were justified in what we said; but he was our chief, and a good one for a long time. Now I’d give up the whole scheme to set the thing straight again.”
In due time we brought a skillful surgeon to Carrington Manor, and waited very anxiously until he descended in search of us.