“What makes you ask?” Eve retorted sharply. She knew something must have happened to the boy, and was 107 wondering if Peter knew what it was. “Why should Elia be ill?”
Peter scratched his rough, gray head. His mild, blue eyes twinkled gently in the lamplight from within the house.
“Well, seeing you were up––– But there, I’m glad it’s nothing. I’ll pass on.” Then he added: “You see, when a pretty girl gets standing in the doorway late at night––and such a lovely summer night––and she’s just––just engaged, I don’t guess she wants the company of six foot three of a misspent life. Good-night, Eve, my dear. My best congratulations.”
But the girl wanted him. Now he was here she wanted to talk to him particularly.
“Don’t go, Peter,” she said. “Something is the matter with Elia. He is ill––very ill. He’s had the worst fit I’ve ever known him to have, and––and I don’t know if he’s going to pull round when he wakes up. He was out late this evening, and I don’t know where he’s been, or––or what happened to him while he was out. Something must have happened to him. I mean something to upset him––either to anger him, or to terrify him. I wish I knew. It would help me perhaps when he wakes.”
Peter’s smile had gone. His eyes were full of sympathy. There was also a shadow of trouble in them, too. But Eve did not see it, or, if she did, her understanding was at fault. They stood there for some moments in silence, he so massive yet so gentle, she so slight and pretty, yet so filled with a concern which harassed her mind and heart. Peter was thinking very hard, and though he could have told her all she wanted to know, though his great heart ached for her at the knowledge which was his, 108 he refrained from saying a word that could have betrayed the boy’s secret, and the hideous aspect he had witnessed of the man she was going to marry.
“You had the Doc to him?” he inquired.
“Yes, oh yes. Doc dosed him to make him sleep. Annie Gay’s been with me helping.”
“Ah, she’s a good woman.”
“Yes, she’s more than that. She’s as near an angel as human nature will let her be.” Then Eve abruptly changed her tone, and it became almost appealing. “Tell me, Peter, what do you think could have happened to Elia? I mean, to shock him so. I’ve tried and tried, but I can’t think––nor can Annie. You know all the boys, you go amongst them, you may have heard?”