“Let her be conveyed instantly to bed!” was the doctor’s first order. “It is one of her old nervous spasms, and they grow dangerous. She must remain perfectly quiet, free from all excitement, when she is restored to consciousness. She will soon come to. The color is coming back to her cheeks.”
Mrs. Emory was carried to a chamber on the same floor, and Lizzie and Hattie prepared her for rest, not allowing a servant to come near, and then Hattie, fearing she would be questioned by the invalid, before others, when it might not really be the wish of Mrs. Emory, expressed a wish to go home, saying she would come again should Mrs. Emory desire it. She would not reach her boarding-house, as it was, much before ten o’clock.
“You’ll come to see me again, will you not, dear? For I do love you so!” said Lizzie, when Mr. Legare ordered his carriage to the door to take Hattie to her boarding-house.
“Yes—I hope so. I wish I had a fit place to receive your visits in, but I fear you would be ashamed of me in my little bedroom.”
“No, no, now that I know you, I wouldn’t be ashamed of you anywhere. I’ll go to the bindery to see you, if Mr. W—— will permit visitors there.”
And Lizzie looked appealingly at him.
“I surely shall ever be glad to see you at the bindery, and Miss Hattie will not be chided for any time she spends with you, either here or there, nor will her salary be lessened.”
“Oh, you good soul! Frank always said you were one of nature’s noblemen,” cried the impulsive girl.
“I thank Frank for his good words,” said Mr. W——, laughing, yet blushing at the same time.
The doctor came down just before Hattie started, and said Mrs. Emory was better, but very weak. She begged that Miss Butler would come and see her on the afternoon of to-morrow, when she hoped she would be well; at least able to sit up and receive her. She was much afflicted with the palpitation of the heart, and this now followed her fainting spell.