Elster's Folly by Mrs. Henry Wood (buy e reader .TXT) 📕

To Her Dressing-Room.

Presently Val Came In,  All Traces Of Emotion Removed From His Features.

Lady Hartledon Had Dismissed Her Maid,  And Stood Leaning Against The Arm

Of The Sofa,  Indulging In Bitter Rumination.

"Silly Children!" Cried He; "It's Hard Work To Manage Them. And Edward

Has Lost His Pow--"

He Broke Off; Stopped By The Look Of Angry Reproach From His Wife,  Cast

On Him For The First Time In Their Married Life. He Took Her Hand And

Bent Down To Her: Fervent Love,  If Ever She Read It,  In His Eyes And

Tones.

"Forgive Me,  Anne; You Are Feeling This."

"Why Do You Throw These Slights On My Children? Why Are You Not More

Just?"

"I Do Not Intend To Slight Our Children,  Anne,  Heaven Knows. But I--I

Cannot Punish Edward."

"Why Did You Ever Make Me Your Wife?" Sighed Lady Hartledon,  Drawing Her

Hand Away.

His Poor Assumption Of Unconcern Was Leaving Him Quickly; His Face Was

Changing To One Of Bitter Sorrow.

"When I Married You," She Resumed,  "I Had Reason To Hope That Should

Children Be Born To Us,  You Would Love Them Equally With Your First;

I Had A Right To Hope It. What Have I Done That--"

"Stay,  Anne! I Can Bear Anything Better Than Reproach From You."

"What Have I And My Children Done To You,  I Was About To Ask,  That You

Take This Aversion To Them? Lavishing All Your Love On The Others And

Upon Them Only Injustice?"

Val Bent Down,  Agitation In His Face And Voice.

"Hush,  Anne! You Don't Know. The Danger Is That I Should Love Your

Children Better,  Far Better Than Maude's. It Might Be So If I Did Not

Guard Against It."

"I Cannot Understand You," She Exclaimed.

"Unfortunately,  I Understand Myself Only Too Well. I Have A Heavy Burden

To Bear; Do Not You--My Best And Dearest--Increase It."

She Looked At Him Keenly; Laid Her Hands Upon Him,  Tears Gathering In Her

Eyes. "Tell Me What The Burden Is; Tell Me,  Val! Let Me Share It."

But Val Drew In Again At Once,  Alarmed At The Request: And Contradicted

Himself In The Most Absurd Manner.

"There's Nothing To Share,  Anne; Nothing To Tell."

Certainly This Change Was Not Propitiatory. Lady Hartledon,  Chilled And

Mortified,  Disdained To Pursue The Theme. Drawing Herself Up,  She Turned

To Go Down To Dinner,  Remarking That He Might At Least Treat The Children

With More _Apparent_ Justice.

"I Am Just; At Least,  I Wish To Be Just," He Broke Forth In Impassioned

Tones. "But I Cannot Be Severe With Edward And Maude."

Another Powder Was Procured,  And,  Amidst Much Fighting And Resistance,

Was Administered. Lady Hartledon Was In The Boy's Room The First Thing

In The Morning. One Grand Quality In Her Was,  That She Never Visited

Her Vexation On The Children; And Edward,  In Spite Of His Unamiable

Behaviour,  Did At Heart Love Her,  Whilst He Despised His Grandmother; One

Of His Sources Of Amusement Being To Take Off That Estimable Old Lady's

Peculiarities Behind Her Back,  And Send The Servants Into Convulsions.

"You Look Very Hot,  Edward," Exclaimed Lady Hartledon,  As She Kissed Him.

"How Do You Feel?"

"My Throat's Sore,  Mamma,  And My Legs Could Not Find A Cold Place All

Night. Feel My Hand."

It Was A Child's Answer,  Sufficiently Expressive. An Anxious Look Rose To

Her Countenance.

"Are You Sure Your Throat Is Sore?"

"It's Very Sore. I Am So Thirsty."

Lady Hartledon Gave Him Some Weak Tea,  And Sent For Mr. Ade Will Be Back--You'll See. An' When He Comes We'll Be

Squarin' Things With Him--An' Don't You Forget It!"

       *       *       *       *       *

It Was After Lawler Had Been Occupying The Cabin For A Month That

Metcalf Made His Second Visit. He Rode Down The Slope Of The Valley On A

Horse He Had Hired At Willets,  And Came Upon Lawler,  Who Was Standing At

The Corral Gates,  Looking Across The Enclosure At The Workmen Who Were

Bustling About The Ranchhouse.

Metcalf Regarded Lawler Critically Before He Dismounted; And Then He

Came Forward,  Shook Lawler's Hand And Again Looked Him Over.

"A Little Thin And Peaked; But Otherwise All Right,  Eh?" He Smiled.

"It's Hard To Kill You Denizens Of The Sagebrush."

He Followed Lawler Into The Shade Of The Cabin,  Remarked To Mrs. Lawler

That Her Son Would Need Someone To Guard Him--If He Persisted In Meeting

Outlaws Of The Antrim Type Single-Handed; And Then Turned To

Lawler--After Mrs. Lawler Had Gone Inside--And Said Lowly:

"Lord,  Man! You've Got This State Raving Over You! Your Fight Against

The Ring Is Talked About In Every Corner Of The Country. And That Scrap

With Antrim,  Selden,  And Krell In The Old Dickman Cabin Will Go Down In

History--It Will Be A Classic! What Made You Rush In On Antrim That

Way--Giving Him The First Shot?"

Lawler Smiled Faintly. "Shucks,  Metcalf,  There Was Nothing To That.

Shorty Told Me What Had Happened,  And As I Recollect,  Now,  I Was Pretty

Much Excited."

"Excited,  Eh?" Said Metcalf,  Incredulously; "I Don't Believe It. What

About Your Going In To Warden's Office,  Offering To Give Him The First

Shot? Were You Excited Then?"

Lawler Reddened,  And Metcalf Laughed Triumphantly.

"Lawler," He Said; "You're Too Damned Modest--But Modesty Becomes You. I

Believe You Know It. Anyway,  This State Is Raving Over You. You're Going

To Be The Next Governor. You've Got To Run! This State Needs A Man Like

You--It _Needs_ You! You Know It. Everybody Knows It--And Everybody

Wants You. That Is,  Everybody Except Haughton,  Hatfield,  Warden--And

That Bunch--Including The Railroad Company. Why,  Look Here,  Lawler!" He

Went On,  When Lawler Did Not Answer; "The Fight You Made Last Fall

Against The Railroad Company Was Made,  With Variations,  By All The

Courageous Cattlemen In The State. If A Strong Man Isn't Elected This

Fall The Same Fight Will Have To Be Made Again. Haughton Is So Rotten

That People Are Beginning To Hold Their Noses!

"The People Of This State Trust You,  Lawler--They Swear By You. You've

Got To Run--There's No Way Out Of It!" He Looked Keenly At Lawler. "Man,

Do You Know What Mcgregor Told Me The Day Before He Left The Capital To

Come Down Here And Look You Over,  To See How Badly You Were Hurt? He

Said: 'Metcalf,  If Lawler Dies We Lose The Governorship Next Fall. He Is

The Only Man Who Can Beat Haughton!'"

"Metcalf," Smiled Lawler; "I'll Tell You A Secret--Your Argument Has Had

No Effect Upon Me. I Decided This Thing As Far Back As The Day Following

The Last Election. I Am Going To Run."

"Then We've Got Haughton Licked!" Declared Metcalf,  Enthusiastically.

Metcalf Stayed At The Circle L Throughout The Day,  And In The Evening

Lawler Rode With Him To Willets,  Where He Saw Him Aboard The West-Bound

Train.

"I'm Telling You Something,  Lawler," Grinned The Newspaperman As He

Gripped Lawler's Hand Just Before The Train Started. "Mcgregor Came To

Me Yesterday. He Told Me He Intended To Come To See You,  But He Was

Afraid You'd Refuse To Run. He Asked Me If I Had Any Influence With You,

And I Told Him You'd Do Anything I Suggested. Now,  Don't Get Excited,

Lawler," He Laughed As Lawler Looked Sharply At Him. "I've Proved It,

Haven't I? You've Agreed To Run! Lord,  Man,  I'd Hate To Be An Evil-Doer

And Have You Look At Me Like That!" He Laughed Again,  Exultantly. "What

Was It You Said To Warden One Day,  When Warden Refused To Keep That

Agreement You Made With Lefingwell? Oh,  Don't Look At Me That Way--That

Conversation Has Been Printed All Over The State. I Saw To That. How Dice In You,  Mr. Brook; And Were Edward My Own

Child,  I Should Know How To Act. Do You Think It Would Be Dangerous To

Give Him This Prescription? You May Speak Confidentially."

"Not Dangerous; It Is A Prescription That Will Do Neither Harm Nor

Good. I Suspect Sir Alexander Could Not Detect The Nature Of The Illness,

And Wrote This Merely To Gain Time. It Is Not An Infrequent Custom To

Do So. In My Opinion,  Not An Hour Should Be Lost In Giving Him A More

Efficacious Medicine; Early Treatment Is Everything In Scarlet-Fever."

Lady Hartledon Had Been Rapidly Making Up Her Mind. "Send In What You

Think Right To Be Taken,  Immediately," She Said,  "And Meet Sir Alexander

In Consultation Later On."

Scarlet-Fever It Proved To Be; Not A Mild Form Of It; And In A Very Few

Hours Lord Elster Was In Great Danger,  The Throat Being Chiefly Affected.

The House Was In Commotion; The Dowager Worse Than Any One In It. A

Complication Of Fears Beset Her: First,  Terror For Her Own Safety,  And

Next,  The Less Abject Dread That Death Might Remove _Her_ Grandchild. In

This Latter Fear She Partly Lost Her Personal Fears,  So Far At Any Rate

As To Remain In The House; For It Seemed To Her That The Child Would

Inevitably Die If She Left It. Late In The Afternoon She Rushed Into The

Presence Of The Doctors,  Who Had Just Been Holding A Second Consultation.

Sir Alexander Pepps Recommended Leeches To The Throat: Mr. Brook

Disapproved Of Them. "It Is The One Chance For His Life," Said Sir

Alexander.

"It Is Removing Nearly All Chance," Said Mr. Brook.

Sir Alexander Prevailed; And When They Came Forth It Was Understood That

Leeches Were To Be Applied. But Here Lady Hartledon Stepped In.

"I Dread Leeches To The Throat,  Sir Alexander,  If You Will Forgive Me For

Saying So. I Have Twice Seen Them Applied In Scarlet-Fever; And The

Patients--One A Young Lady,  The Other A Child--In Both Cases Died."

"Madam,  I Have Given My Opinion," Curtly Returned The Physician. "They

Are Necessary In Lord Elster's Case."

"Do You Approve Of Leeches?" Cried Lady Hartledon,  Turning To Mr. Brook.

"Not Altogether," Was The Cautious Answer.

"Answer Me One Question,  Mr. Brook," Said Lady Hartledon,  In Her

Earnestness. "Would You Apply These Leeches Were You Treating The Case

Alone?"

"No,  Madam,  I Would Not."

Anne Appealed To Her Husband. When The Medical Men Differed,  She Thought

The Decision Lay With Him.

"I'm Sure I Don't Know," Returned Val,  Who Felt Perfectly Helpless To

Advise. "Can't You Decide,  Anne? You Know More About Children And Illness

Than I Do."

"I Would Do So Without Hesitating A Moment Were It My Own Child," She

Replied. "I Would Not Allow Them To Be Put On."

"No,  You Would Rather See Him Die," Interrupted The Dowager,  Who

Overheard The Words,  And Most Intemperately And Unjustifiably Answered

Them.

Anne Coloured With Shame For The Old Woman,  But The Words Silenced Her:

How Was It Possible To Press Her Own Opinion After That? Sir Alexander

Had It All His Own Way,  And The Leeches Were Applied On Either Side The

Throat,  Mr. Brook Emphatically Asserting In Lady Hartledon's Private Ear

That He "Washed His Hands" Of The Measure. Before They Came Off The

Consequences Were Apparent; The Throat Was Swollen Outwardly,  On Both

Sides; Within,  It Appeared To Be Closing.

The Dowager,  Rather Beside Herself On The Whole,  Had Insisted On The

Leeches. Any One,  Seeing Her Conduct Now,  Might Have Thought The Invalid

Boy Was Really Dear To Her. Nothing Of The Sort. A Hazy Idea Had Been

Looming Through Her Mind For Years That Val Was Not Strong; She Had Been

Mistaking Mental Disease For Bodily Illness; And A Project To Have Full

Control Of Her Grandchild,  Should He Come Into The Succession

Prematurely,  Had Coloured Her Dreams. This Charming Prospect Would Be

Ignominiously Cut Short If The Boy Went First.

Sir Alexander Saw His Error. There Must Be Something Peculiar In Lord

Elster's Constitution,  He Blandly Said; It Would Not Have Happened In

Another. Of Course,  Anything That Turns Out A Mistake Always Is In The

Constitution--Never In The Treatment. Whether He Lived Or Died Now Was

Just The Turn Of A Straw: The Chances Were That He Would Die. All That

Could Be Done Now Was To Endeavour To Counteract The Mischief By External

Applications.

"I Wish You Would Let Me Try A Remedy," Said Lady Hartledon,  Wistfully.

"A Compress Of Cold Water Round The Throat With Oilsilk Over It. I Have

Seen It Do So Much Good In Cases Of Inward Inflammation."

Mr. Brook Smiled: If Anything Would Do Good That Might,  He Said,  Speaking

As If He Had Little Faith In Remedies Now. Sir Alexander Intimated That

Her Ladyship Might Try It; Graciously Observing That It Would Do No Harm.

The Application Was Used,  And The Evening Went On. The Child Had Fallen

Into A Sort Of Stupor,  And Mr. Brook Came In Again Before He Had Been

Away An Hour,  And Leaned Anxiously Over The Patient. He Lay With His Eyes

Half-Closed,  And Breathed With Difficulty.

"I Think," He Exclaimed Softly,  "There's The Slightest Shade Of

Improvement."

"In The Fever,  Or The Throat?" Whispered Lady Hartledon,  Who Had Not

Quitted The Boy's Bedside.

"In The Throat. If So,  It Is Due To Your Remedy,  Lady Hartledon."

"Is He In Danger?"

"In Great Danger. Still,  I See A Gleam