"Very well." He crossed the room and rang the bell.
"Guy, are you sure that girl has not scarlet fever?"
"May, I have answered that question at least twice a day for nearly a week."
"But you should sympathize with a mother"s anxiety. I dread to expose Pauline to danger."
"Then let her remain where she is."
"But I prefer having her come home, if I could feel a.s.sured that girl has only brain fever."
"Then, once for all, there is no scarlet fever in the house."
He took a vial from his pocket, and poured a portion of its contents into the gla.s.s, which he placed on a stand by Beulah"s bed; then, turning to Harriet, who had obeyed his summons, he directed her to administer the medicine hourly.
"Guy, you may give your directions to me, for I shall stay with the child to-night." As she spoke, she seated herself at the foot of the bed.
"Harriet, hand me the candle in the hall." She did so; and, as her master took it from her hand, he said abruptly:
"Tell Hal to bring my buggy round, and then you may go to bed. I will ring if you are wanted." He waited until she was out of hearing, and, walking up to his sister, held the candle so that the light fell full upon her face.
"May, can I trust you?"
"Brother, you are cruelly unjust." She covered her face with her lace handkerchief.
"Am I, indeed?"
"Yes, you wrong me hourly, with miserable suspicions. Guy, remember that I have your blood in my veins, and it will not always tamely bear insult, even from you." She removed the handkerchief, and shook back her glossy curls, while her face grew still paler than was its wont.
"Insult! May, can the unvarnished truth be such?"
They eyed each other steadily, and it was apparent that each iron will was mated.
"Guy, you shall repent this."
"Perhaps so. You have made me repent many things."
"Do you mean to say that--"
"I mean to say, that since you have at last offered to a.s.sist in nursing that unconscious child, I wish you to give the medicine hourly. The last potion was at eight o"clock." He placed the candle so as to shade the light from the sick girl, and left the room. Mrs.
Chilton sat for some time as he had left her with her head leaning on her hand, her thoughts evidently perplexed and bitter. At length she rose and stood close to Beulah, looking earnestly at her emaciated face. She put her fingers on the burning temples and wrist, and counted accurately the pulsations of the lava tide, then bent her queenly head, and listened to the heavily drawn breathing.
A haughty smile lit her fine features as she said complacently: "A mere tempest in a teacup. Pshaw, this girl will not mar my projects long. By noon tomorrow she will be in eternity. I thought, the first time I saw her ghostly face, she would trouble me but a short season. What paradoxes men are! What on earth possessed Guy, with his fastidious taste, to bring to his home such an ugly, wasted, sallow little wretch? I verily believe, as a family, we are beset by evil angels." Drawing out her watch, she saw that the hand had pa.s.sed nine. Raising the gla.s.s to her lips, she drank the quant.i.ty prescribed for the sufferer, and was replacing it on the stand, when Beulah"s large, eloquent eyes startled her.
"Well, child, what do you want?" said she, trembling, despite her a.s.sumed indifference. Beulah looked at her vacantly, then threw her arms restlessly over the pillow, and slept again. Mrs. Chilton drew up a chair, seated herself, and sank into a reverie of some length.
Ultimately she was aroused by perceiving her brother beside her, and said hastily:
"How is Mr. Vincent? Not dangerously ill, I hope!"
"Tomorrow will decide that. It is now ten minutes past ten; how many potions have you given?"
"Two," answered she firmly.
"Thank you, May. I will relieve you now. Good-night."
"But you are worn out, and I am not. Let me sit up. I will wake you if any change occurs."
"Thank you, I prefer watching tonight. Take that candle, and leave it on the table in the hall. I need nothing but moonlight. Leave the door open." As the flickering light vanished, he threw himself into the chair beside the bed.
CHAPTER VIII.
It was in the gray light of dawning day that Beulah awoke to consciousness. For some moments after unclosing her eyes they wandered inquiringly about the room, and finally rested on the tall form of the watcher, as he stood at the open window. Gradually memory gathered up its scattered links, and all the incidents of that hour of anguish rushed vividly before her. The little table, with its marble sleeper; then a dim recollection of having been carried to a friendly shelter. Was it only yesterday evening, and had she slept? The utter prostration which prevented her raising her head, and the emaciated appearance of her hands, told her "no." Too feeble even to think, she moaned audibly. Dr. Hartwell turned and looked at her. The room was still in shadow, though the eastern sky was flushed, and he stepped to the bedside. The fever had died out, the cheeks were very pale, and the unnaturally large, sunken eyes l.u.s.terless. She looked at him steadily, yet with perfect indifference. He leaned over, and said eagerly:
"Beulah, do you know me?"
"Yes; I know you."
"How do you feel this morning?"
"I am very weak, and my head seems confused. How long have I been here?"
"No matter, child, if you are better." He took out his watch, and, after counting her pulse, prepared some medicine, and gave her a potion. Her features twitched, and she asked tremblingly, as if afraid of her own question:
"Have they buried her?"
"Yes; a week ago."
She closed her eyes with a groan, and her face became convulsed; then she lay quite still, with a wrinkled brow. Dr. Hartwell sat down by her, and, taking one of her wasted little hands in his, said gently:
"Beulah, you have been very ill. I scarcely thought you would recover; and now, though much better, you must not agitate yourself, for you are far too weak to bear it."
"Why didn"t you let me die? Oh, it would have been a mercy!" She put her hand over her eyes, and a low cry wailed through the room.
"Because I wanted you to get well, and live here, and be my little friend, my child. Now, Beulah, I have saved you, and you belong to me. When you are stronger we will talk about all you want to know; but to-day you must keep quiet, and not think of what distresses you. Will you try?"
The strong, stern man shuddered, as she looked up at him with an expression of hopeless desolation, and said slowly:
"I have nothing but misery to think of."
"Have you forgotten Eugene so soon?"
For an instant the eyes lighted up; then the long lashes swept her cheeks, and she murmured:
"Eugene; he has left me too; something will happen to him also. I never loved anything but trouble came upon it."