The Three Brides

'I wish I had known. I never will go out of the reach of letters again. I saw in the Times, at Innspruck, a mention of typhoid fever here, and I came back as fast as trains would bring me; but too late, I fear.'

'You are welcome, indeed,' repeated Rosamond. 'Herbert has broken down at last, after doing more than man could do, and I am most thankful that my husband should be saved the funerals at Wil'sbro'.'

Mr. Bindon, whose face showed how shocked he was, made a few inquiries. He had learnt the main facts on his way, but had been seeking his junior to hear the details, and he looked, like the warrior who had missed Thermopylae, ashamed and grieved at his holiday.

The bottle Rosamond had sent for arrived, and there was enough vigour restored to make her say, 'Here's a first service, Mr. Bindon, to help this poor fellow into bed.'

'No, no!' exclaimed Herbert.

'You are not going to say there's nothing the matter with you?' said Rosamond, as a flush passed over the pale face.

'No,' he said; 'but I want to go home. I should have taken a fly at Wil'sbro'. Cranky will see to me without bothering anybody else. If you would send for one-'

'I don't think I can till I know whether you are fit to move,' said Rosamond. 'I desired Dilemma to tell them to send Dr. Worth here when he comes to Terry. Besides, is it quite right to carry this into another place?'

'I never thought of that,' said Herbert. 'But they would shut me up; nobody come near me but Cranky.' But there a shivering fit caught him, so that the sofa shook with him, and Rosamond covered him with rugs, and again told him bed was the only place for him, and he consented at last, holding his head as he rose, dizzy with the ache.

'Look here, Lady Rose,' he said, falling back into a sitting posture at the first attempt, 'where's my writing- case? If I go off my head, will you give this to the Rector, and ask him if it will be any good in the matter he knows of?' and he handed her an envelope. 'And this keep,' he added, giving her one addressed to his father. 'Don't let him have it till it's all over. You know.' Then he took up a pen and a sheet of paper, and got as far, with a shaking hand, as 'Dear Crank-' but there he broke down, and laid his head on the table, groaning.

'I'll do it. What shall I say, dear Herbert?'

'Only tell her to come to me,' he gasped. 'Cranstoun-our old nurse. Then I'll be no trouble.'

While Mr. Bindon helped Herbert into his room, Rosamond sped home to send for Mrs. Cranstoun, arrange for the care of the new patient in the intervening hours, and fetch some of those alleviations of which experience had taught the use. Mr. Bindon came to meet her on her return, carefully shutting the door, and saying, 'Lady Rosamond, can he be delirious already? He is talking of being plucked for his Ordination.'

'Too true,' said Rosamond. 'I thought it a great shame to be so hard on a man with that in him; but I believe you expected it?'

'No; I may have said he would fail, but I never expected it.'

'Fail, indeed! Fancy a man being turned back who has worked night and day-night and day-doing all the very hardest services-never resting! Very likely killing himself!' cried Rosamond hotly. 'May I come back to him? Terry can spare me, and if you will go to Wil'sbro' I'll stay till my husband comes, or the doctor. The Sisters will tell you what to do.'

Herbert was, however, so much more comfortable for being in bed, that he was able to give Mr. Bindon directions as to the immediate cares at Wil'sbro'; but he was distressed at occupying Lady Rose, his great object being to be no trouble to anybody, though he had seen so much of the disease as to have been fully aware that it had been setting in for the last two days, yet his resolution to spare his Rector had kept him afoot till he had seen other help arrive. He declared that he wanted nobody but Rollo, who could fetch and carry, and call any one, if only the doors were open, and really the creature's wistful eyes and gentle movements justified the commendation.

'Only,' said Herbert anxiously, 'I suppose this is not catching for dogs. You'll make a home for him Lady Rose?' he added. 'I should like you to have him, and he'll be happier with you than with any one else.'

'Herbert, I can't have you talk of that.'

'Very well,' he said, quietly. 'Only you will keep my dear old fellow-I've had him from a puppy-and he is but three years old now.'

Rosamond gave all promises, from her full heart, as she fondled the soft, wise black head.

Herbert was unhappy too about Mrs. Hornblower's trouble. Harry had been one of the slighter cases, and was still in his room, a good deal subdued by the illness, and by the attention the lodger had shown him; for Herbert had spent many hours, when he had been supposed to be resting, in relieving Mrs. Hornblower, and she was now in a flood of gratitude, only longing to do everything for him herself. Had he not, as she declared, saved her son, body and soul?

The most welcome sight was Julius, who came down in dismay as soon as he could leave the Hall. 'I am so glad,' said the patient; 'I want to talk things over while my head is clearer than it ever may be again.'

'Don't begin by desponding. These fevers are much less severe now than six weeks ago.'

'Yes; but they always go the hardest with the great big strong young fellows. I've buried twelve young men out of the whole forty-five.'

'Poor lads, I doubt if their life had been such a preparation as yours.'

'Don't talk of my life. A stewardship I never set myself to contemplate, and so utterly failed in. I've got nothing to carry to my God but broken vows and a wasted year.'

'Nothing can be brought but repentance.'

'Yes, but look at others who have tried, felt their duties, and cared for souls; while I thought only of my vows as a restraint, and tried how much pleasure I could get in spite of them. A pretty story of all the ministry I shall ever have.'

'These last weeks!'

'Common humanity-nonsense! I should always have done as much; besides, I was crippled everywhere, not merely by want of power as a priest, but by having made myself such a shallow, thoughtless ass. But that was not what I wanted to say. It was about Gadley and his confession.'

'O, Herbert! I am afraid I was very unkind that night. I did not think of anything but our own trouble, nor see how much it had cost you.'

'Of course not-nonsense. You had enough to think of yourself, and I was only ashamed of having bored you.'

'And when I think of the state of that room, I am afraid it was then you took in the poison.'

'Don't say afraid. If it was for Jenny, I shall have done some good in the world. But the thing is-is it good? Will it clear Douglas? I suppose what he said to you was under seal of confession?'

'Scarcely so, technically; but when a man unburthens himself on his death-bed, and then, so far from consenting, shows terror and dismay at the notion of his words being taken down as evidence, it seems to me hardly right or honourable to make use of them-though it would right a great wrong. But what did you get from him?'

'I gave Lady Rose the paper. He raved most horribly for an hour or two, as if all the foul talk of his pot-house had got into his brain,' said Herbert, with a shudder. 'Rector, Rector, pray for me, that I mayn't come out with that at any rate. It has haunted me ever since. Well, at last he slept, and woke up sinking but conscious, knew me, and began to ask if this was death, and was frightened, clutching at me, and asking to be held, and what he could do. I told him at least he could undo a wrong, if he would only authorize us to use what he said to clear Douglas; and then, as Sister Margaret had come across, I wrote as well as I could: 'George Gadley authorizes what he said to the Rev. Julius Charnock to be used as evidence;' and I suppose he saw us sign it, if he could see at all, for his sight was nearly gone.'

Julius drew a long breath.

'And now, what was it?' said Herbert.

'Well, the trio-Moy, young Proudfoot, and Tom Vivian-detained a letter of my mother's, with a cheque in it, and threw the blame of it on Archie Douglas. They thought no one was in the office but themselves; but Gadley was a clerk there, and was in the outer room, where he heard all. He came to Moy afterwards, and has been preying on him for hush-money ever since.'

'And this will set things straight?'

'Yes. How to set about the public justification I do not yet see; but with your father, and all the rest, Archie's