“It is the visitation of God,” murmured Mrs. Cary to herself.
“Not until all medical means have failed,” said Dr. Cary, gravely. The man on the horse, thinking that the delay meant that the Doctor was not coming, said:
“They told me to tell you he’d pay you anything in the world you asked.”
The Doctor turned and faced him.
“He has not money enough—the Government has not money enough—to induce me to go, if he were not ill,” said he, slowly. “I am going because he is sick and I am a physician.”
He leant down and kissed his wife, and walked down the path toward the horses. Mrs. Cary went out with him, and saw him mount the horse the messenger had brought and ride away in the darkness. Then she went into the house with a white face. She did not retire that night. Blair and she sat up waiting for him.
The sun was almost rising when they saw him come riding up through the orchard. As they went out to meet him, he sat up very straight. The sky was all pearl, and he seemed to be riding in the sunrise.
As he dismounted he almost fell, but recovered himself and tied the horse. A messenger would come for him, he said.
“How is he?” asked Mrs. Cary.