Lottie’s eyes were rolling wildly, while her breathing was difficult, and all evidences of reason had disappeared. All who saw her were convinced that she had commenced the struggle with the dreadful destroyer. The lady in the black domino lifted Lottie’s head from the pillow and emptied the medicine into her mouth, holding her still until she saw the patient swallow it, then laid her down gently, and waited for the result. Plaxico stood by with one hand on the patient’s pulse, and his watch in the other, and although he had disapproved of the experiment, he earnestly prayed in silence that it might be attended with success. Fifteen minutes after the antidote was administered, Lottie closed her eyes and appeared to be asleep, while the breathing grew less labored. The pale face of Doctor Plaxico began to brighten.
“How is she now?” Demar whispered as he seized Plaxico’s arm.
“Better!”
“She is saved, thank Heaven!” exclaimed the lady in the black domino as she fell on her knees by the bed and burst into tears.
“Be still, Demar!” said Plaxico, “and let go my arm—you are hurting me!”
A purse of fifteen hundred dollars in money was made up among the passengers, and a committee appointed with instructions to present it to the lady who had saved Lottie’s life; but the astonishment was boundless when the committee reported the fact that the lady in the black domino had politely, but firmly refused to accept the money.
The next morning Lottie was able to rise from her bed, and when she appeared in the saloon leaning on her husband’s arm, the enthusiasm was indescribable. Congratulations were showered on the lovely favorite, and everybody appeared to be happy.
CHAPTER XL.
As soon as breakfast was over, the next morning after Lottie had been so miraculously cured, Captain Quitman arose from the head of the table and began to address his passengers as follows:
“My young friends, when I purchased the ‘White Rose of Memphis’ and placed her on this line, the height of my ambition was to make her the headquarters of pleasure-seekers. It was my aim to make it to the interest of travelers to patronize my boat, and to furnish excursion parties with facilities for enjoyment. I had always adhered to the idea that it was the duty of a steam-boat commander to protect his passengers against ruffians and thieves, and I mean to do so to the utmost of my capacity. It is with emotions of the deepest regret that I am compelled to inform my friends that, by some means unknown to me, shrewd pickpockets and robbers have managed to get aboard of my boat. One of my passengers has been robbed of a large sum of money, amounting, I believe, to something near ten thousand dollars; another has lost a splendid gold watch; and others have been deprived of jewels and other valuable articles. I therefore request every passenger to consent to be searched and to permit the state-rooms to be thoroughly examined; and, in order to prevent any attempt to conceal the stolen property, I ask all the passengers to fall into line now. Let the ladies form on my left and the gentlemen on my right.”