For Woman's Love Part- 2 by Mrs. E. D. E. N. Southworth (i love reading books txt) 📕

"Look Here,  Young Sir!" Said The Iron King,  Speaking Hoarsely,  Faintly,

Yet With Strong Determination. "Do You Call Yourself A Soldier Or A

Shirk? Let Me Tell You That It Is The First Duty Of A Soldier To Obey

Orders,  At All Times,  Under All Circumstances,  And At All Costs! If You

Had Been A Married Man,  And Your Wife Had Been Dying--If You Had Been A

Father,  And Your Child Had Been Dying,  It Would Have Been Your Duty To

Leave Them!"

"But,  Sir,  There Was No Real Need That I Should Go By This Night's

Express. If I Should Start To-Morrow Morning,  I Shall Be In Good Time To

Report For Duty. It Was Only My Zeal To Be Better Than Prompt Which

Induced Me To Start Earlier Than Necessary. To-Morrow Will Be Quite Time

Enough To Leave For New York."

"Very Well; Then Go To-Morrow By The First Train," Said The Iron King In

A More Subdued Manner,  For The Sedative Was Beginning To Take Effect.

At A Hint From The Doctor The Young Lieutenant Bade His Grandfather

Good-Night And Softly Stepped Out Of The Room.

Early The Next Morning Dr. Cummins Came Down Stairs And Joined The

Family At The Breakfast Table.

In Answer To Anxious Inquiries,  He Reported That Mr. Rockharrt Had Slept

Well During The Night,  And Had Just Taken Refreshment Prepared By Old

Martha Under The Physician's Own Orders,  And Had Composed Himself To

Sleep Again.

"He Would Not Admit Any Of Us Last Night. Will He See Me This Morning?"

Inquired Rose Rockharrt.

"Of Course,  After A Little While. It Was Best That I And The Old Nurse

Should Have Watched Him Alone Together Last Night,  But The Woman Now

Needs Rest,  And I Must Presently Take Leave,  To Look After My Other

Patients. You Two Ladies Must Take The Watch To-Day,  With One Of These

Gentlemen Within Call. I Will Give You Full Directions For My Patient's

Treatment,  And Will See Him Again In The Afternoon."

"Does My Father's Present Condition Admit Of My Leaving Him To Go And

Look After The Works This Morning?" Inquired Mr. Fabian,  Who Had Spent

The Night At Rockhold.

"Yes," Replied The Doctor,  After Some Little Hesitation. "Yes; I Think

So. If Your Presence Here Should Be Absolutely Needed,  You Can Be

Promptly Summoned,  You Know; But One Of You Should Remain On Guard."

"Clarence Will Stay Home,  Then," Replied Mr. Fabian.

"Doctor,  You Heard My Grandfather Order Me To Leave Rockhold This

Morning To Join My Regiment. Now,  What Do You Think? May I See Him

Before I Go?" Inquired The Young Lieutenant.

"I Will Let You Know When He Wakes," Said Dr. Cummins.

"Must You Leave Us To-Day,  Sylvan? Could You Not Be Excused Under The

Circumstances?" Inquired Mrs. Rockharrt.

"No; I Could Not Be Excused. I Must Join My Regiment,  Rose."

"But,  Cora! Oh,  Cora! You Will Not Leave Us Now? You Are Not Under

Orders,  And--And--I Wish You Would Stay," Pleaded Rose.

"I Shall Stay,  Rose. It Is As Much My Bounden Duty To Stay As It Is That

Of Sylvan To Go," Answered Cora.

"Oh,  That Is Such A Relief To My Feelings!" Exclaimed The Other Lady.

Dr. Cummins Looked Up In Surprise,  Glancing From One Woman To The Other.

Sylvan Undertook To Explain.

"My Sister Was Going Out With Me,  Sir. I Am Her Nearest Relative,  As She

Is Mine,  And We Do Not Like To Be Separated."

"Ah!" Said The Doctor. "And Now,  Very Properly,  She Decides To Stay

Here."

"For A While,  Dr. Cummins--Until The Case Of My Grandfather Shall Be

Decided. Later I Shall Certainly Follow My Brother," Cora Explained.

Before Another Word Could Be Uttered The Door Opened,  And Violet

Rockharrt,  In A Silver Gray Carriage Dress,  Entered The Room. Mr. Fabian

Sprang Up To Meet Her.

"My Dear Child,  Why Have You Come Out Here Against All Orders?"

Mrs. Fabian Rockharrt Saluted All The Company At The Breakfast,  Who Had

Risen To Receive Her,  And Then Replied To Her Husband's Question.

"I Have Come To See How Our Father Is. It Was Twelve O'clock Last Night

When Your Messenger Arrived At The Banks And Told Me That You Would Not

Be Able To Return That Night,  Because An Accident Had Happened To Mr.

Rockharrt. Not A Dangerous One,  But Yet One That Would Keep You With Him

For Some Hours. I Know Very Well How Accidents Are Smoothed Over In

Being Reported To Women; So I Was Not Reassured By That Clause,  And I

Would Have Set Out For Rockhold Immediately If It Had Not Been A

Starless Midnight,  Making The Road Dangerous To Others As Well As

Myself. But I Was Up At Daybreak To Start This Morning,  And Here I Am."

"Sit Down,  My Child; Sit Down. You Look Pale And Tired. Ah! Did Not Our

Good Doctor Here Forbid You Taking Long Walks Or Rides?"

"I Know,  Fabian; But Sometimes A Woman Must Be A Law To Herself. It Was

My Duty To Come In Person And Inquire After Our Father; So I Came,  Even

Against Orders," Said Violet,  Composedly.

"Now Look At That Little Creature,  Doctor. She Seems As Soft As A Dove,

As Gentle As A Lamb; But She Is Perfectly Lawless. She Defies Me,  Abuses

Me,  And Upon Occasion Thrashes Me. Would You Believe It Of Her?"

Demanded Mr. Fabian,  Gazing With Pride And Delight On His Good Little

Wife.

"Oh,  Yes; I Can Quite Believe It. She Looks A Perfect Shrew,  Vixen,

Virago! Oh,  How I Pity You,  Mr. Fabian!" Said The Doctor.

Cora Filled Out A Cup Of Coffee And Brought It To The Visitor,

Whispering:

"I Am Glad You Came,  Violet. I Do Not Believe It Will Hurt You One Bit

In Any Way."

"Can I See Father? I Want To See For Myself,  And To Kiss Him,  And Tell

Him How Sorry I Am; And I Want To Help To Nurse Him. Say,  Can I See

Him?"

"Not Just Now,  Dear. None Of Us Have Seen Him Since He Was Put To Bed

Last Evening Except The Doctor And The Nurse; But In The Course Of The

Day You May. You Will Spend The Day With Us?" Cora Inquired.

"I Will Spend The Day And The Night,  And To-Morrow And To-Morrow Night,

And This Week And Next Week,  And Just As Long As I Can Be Helpful And

Useful To Father,  If You And Mamma There Will Permit Me. And,  By The

Way,  I Have Not Kissed Mamma Yet. Only Shaken Hands With Her." And So

Saying,  Violet Put Down Her Untasted Cup Of Coffee,  Went Around The

Table,  Put Her Arms Round Rose's Neck,  And Kissed Her Fondly,  Saying:

"You Are Very Sweet And Lovely,  Mamma,  And I Know I Shall Love You. I

Wanted To Come And See You Before This,  But The Doctor There Wouldn't

Allow It. But Now I Have Come To Stay As Long As I May Be Wanted."

"I Should Want You Forever,  Sweet Wood Violet," Cooed Rose,  Returning

Her Caresses.

Mr. Fabian Turned Away,  Half In Wrath,  Half In Mirth. He Was Much Too

Good Humored To Be Seriously Offended As He Said To The Doctor:

"Ah! These Dove-Eyed Darlings! How Mistaken We Are In Them! You Are An

Old Bachelor,  Cummins; But If You Should Ever Take It Into Your Head To

Repent Of Celibacy,  Don't Marry A Dove-Eyed Darling,  If You Don't Want

To Be Defied All The Days Of Your Life."

"I Won't," Said The Doctor; "But Now I Must Go And See How Mr. Rockharrt

Is Getting On,  And Take Leave To Look After My Other Patients."

And He Left The Breakfast Room,  Followed By Mr. Fabian.

"You And Sylvan Will Not Leave Rockhold For Some Time," Said Violet,

With A Little Air Of Triumph.

"Sylvan Must Leave This Morning. I Shall Remain Until Grandfather Gets

Well," Said Cora--"Or Dies," She Added,  Mentally.

In A Few Minutes Dr. Cummins Returned And Said That Mr. Rockharrt Would

See Lieutenant Haught First,  And Afterward The Other Members Of His

Family.

Then The Physician Bade The Family Good Morning,  And Left The House.

Sylvan Went Up Stairs To Their Grandfather's Room.

There They Found Mr. Fabian Seated By The Bedside.

Old Martha Had Gone To Her Garret To Lie Down And Rest. The Windows Were

All Open,  And The Summer Sun And Air Lighted And Cooled The Room.

"Come Here,  Sylvan," Said The Iron King,  And His Voice,  Though Hoarse

And Feeble,  Was Peremptory.

"The Young Lieutenant Went Up To The Bedside And Said:

"I Hope You Are Feeling Better This Morning,  Sir."

"I Hope So,  Too; But Don't Let Us Waste Words In Compliments. Cummins

Tells Me That You Wished To Bid Me Good-By."

"Yes,  Sir."

"Well,  Bid Good-By,  Then."

"Grandfather,  Have You Anything To Say To Me Before I Go?" Respectfully

Inquired The Young Man.

"If I Had,  Don't You Suppose That I Could Say It? Well,  If You Wish

Advice,  I Will Give It You Very Briefly: You Are An 'Officer And A

Gentleman'--That Is The Phrase,  I Believe?"

"I Hope So,  Sir."

"Then Behave As One Under All Circumstances. Never Lie--Even To Women;

Never Cheat--Even The Government. That Is All. I Cannot Bless You If

That Is What You Want. No Man Can Bless Another--Not Even The Pope Of

Rome Or The Archbishop Of Canterbury. No One Under Heaven Can Bless You.

You Can Only Bless Yourself By Doing Your Whole Duty Under All

Circumstances. You Will Have Men In Authority Over You. Obey Them.