"Wait a minute, Bagot," I said; "tell her I've gone off now to see if the doctor has got the letter. I will start at once, and go as quick as ever I can."
"Get a bit of supper first, my lad," said Bagot, kindly.
But I would not hear of waiting a moment, and I set off at a running pace towards Calvington. Of course I could not keep this up long, and it seemed a long way; but the air was cooler than in the morning, which was a great help to me.
It must have been about ten o'clock when I reached the doctor's house. His gig was standing at the door, and the doctor came out and jumped into it as I came up. He was just setting off for Grassbourne. He had only received my mistress's letter a few minutes before. The careless Mike had dropped it on the road, and some one had picked it up and brought it to the doctor's house.
I told him how ill Master Reggie was, and that my mistress thought that he was going to have croup; and he ran back into his surgery to get several things that might be wanted, and then drove off at a tremendous pace towards Grassbourne.
I went home more slowly than I had come, and it was near midnight when I reached the avenue gate. To my surprise, I found Bagot standing there, leaning against the gate, as if he were waiting for me. He was very kind to me—more kind than I deserved, I thought; but he seemed very downcast.
"Is he worse, Bagot?" I asked.
"No, he's a wee bit better, he is," said Bagot. "The doctor is going to stay till morning, though. I've been helping his man to take the horse out, I have."
He took me in, and Mrs. Bagot was still up, and had a good supper ready for me on the table. She, too, was more kind to me than ever; but neither of them spoke much while I was eating my supper.
As soon as I had finished, Bagot said, taking an envelope from his pocket—"Shall I give it him now, old wife?"