"Ye-es," said Jakes, foggily. "I—I call Mr. Ford to witness—"
He turned quaveringly towards the couch and stopped abruptly.
"What 's this?" he cried, in stronger tones, and walked quickly toward the bent figure of the young man. "Van Zyl I—I hold you responsible. You 've done this—with your shouting."
Margaret was in the door; she turned to see the doctor raise Ford's head and lift it back against the cushions. Van Zyl went striding towards them and aided to place him on his back on the couch. As the doctor stood up and stepped back, she saw the thin face with the high spot of red on each cheek and the blood that ran down the chin from the wry and painful mouth.
"Hester," Dr. Jakes spoke briskly. "The ergotin—and the things. In the study; you know."
"I know." And Mrs. Jakes—so her name was Hester—ran pattering off.
They shut Margaret out of the room, and she sat on the bottom step of the stairs, waiting for the news Mrs. Jakes had promised, between breaths, to bring out to her. Van Zyl, ordered out unceremoniously—the doctor had had a fine peremptory moment—and allowing a certain perturbation to be visible on the regulated equanimity of his features, stood in the hall and gave her side glances that betrayed a disturbed mind.
"Miss Harding," he said presently, after long thought; "I hope you don't think it 's any pleasure to me to do all this?"
Margaret shook her head. "You can do what you like," she said. "I shan't complain."
"It is n't that," he answered irritably, but she interrupted him.