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

"Yes; I Will Do So,  My Dear,  If There Is An Opportunity. But,  Cora,  I

Think You Are Morbidly Scrupulous. I Think That You Should Come To The

House. He May Wish To See You If He Should Have A Lucid Interval,  And

There May Not Be Time To Send For You."

"I Must Risk That Rather Than Disobey Him In His Extremity."

"As You Will," Replied Mr. Fabian. And No More Was Said On The Subject.

When They Reached The Foot Of The Mountain And The Level Of The River

Road,  The Horses Were Put Upon Their Speed,  And They Soon Arrived At

Rockhold.

"I Will Wait In The Carriage Until You Go In And Inquire How He Is,"

Said Corona,  As The Vehicle Drew Up Before The Front Door.

Mr. Fabian Got Out And Hurried Up The Steps. The Door Stood Open,  Cold

As The Day Was,  And All Things Wore The Neglected Aspect Of A Dwelling

Wherein The Master Lay Stricken Unto Death. The Housekeeper,  Martha,

Was Coming Down The Stairs And Crying.

"How Is Your Master?" Breathlessly Inquired Mr. Fabian.

"Oh,  Marse Fabe,  Sir,  Jes' Livin',  An' Dat's All!" Sobbed The Woman.

"Dunno Nuffin. Layin' Dere Jes' Like A Dead Corpe,  'Cept For Breavin'

Hard," Wept The Woman.

"Who Is With Him?"

"Me Mos' Times An' Young Mark. I Jes' Come Down To Speak 'Long O' You,

Marse Fabe,  W'en I See De Carriage Dribe Up."

"Well,  Go Back To Your Master. I Will Speak To My Niece,  And Then Come

In," Said Mr. Fabian,  As He Hurried Out To The Carriage. All His

Interview With The Housekeeper Had Not Occupied Two Minutes,  But Cora

Was Pale With Suspense And Anxiety.

"How Is He?" She Panted.

"Unconscious,  My Poor Girl. Oh,  Cora! Come In!"

"No,  No; I Must Not. Not Until He Permits Me. I Will Stop At The

Ferryman's Cottage. Oh,  If He Should Recover Consciousness--Oh,  Uncle

Fabian,  Ask Him To Let Me Come To Him,  And Send Me Word."

"Yes,  Yes; I Will Do It. I Must Go To Him Now. Charles," He Said,

Turning To The Coachman,  "Drive Mrs. Rothsay Down To The Ferry House,

And Then Take The Carriage To The Stables."

And Then,  With A Grave Nod To Corona,  Mr. Fabian Re-Entered The House.

The Coachman Drove The Carriage Down To The Ferryman's Cottage And Drew

Up. The Door Was Open And The Cottage Was Empty.

"Boat On T'other Side,  Ma'am," Said Charles.

"For The Doctor,  I Suppose--And Hope," Said Corona,  Looking Across The

River,  And Seeing A Gig With Two Men Coming On To The Ferryboat.

She Watched From The Door Of The Ferryman's Cottage While Charles Drove

Off The Empty Carriage Toward The Stables And The Two Ferrymen Poled

Their Boat Across The River. She Retreated Within The House Before The

Boat Touched The Land,  For She Knew That The Doctor,  If He Should See

Her There,  Would Wonder Why She Was Not At Her Grandfather's Bedside,

And Perhaps--As He Was An Old Friend--He Might Ask Questions Which She

Would Find It Embarrassing To Answer. The Boat Touched The Shore; The

Gig,  Containing The Doctor And Mr. Clarence,  Rolled Off The Boat On

Along The Drive Leading To The House.

Meanwhile Mr. Fabian Had Re-Entered The Hall And Hurried Up To His

Father's Room. He Found The Iron King In Bed,  Lying On His Right Side

And Breathing Heavily. His Eyes Were Half Closed.

"Father," Said The Son,  In A Low Voice,  Taking His Hand And Bending Over

Him.

There Was No Response.

"It Ain't No Use,  Marster Fabe. Yer Can't Rouse Him,  Do Wot Yer Will.

Better Wait Till De Doctor Come,  Young Marse. I Done Been Tried All I

Knowed How,  But It Wa'n't No Use," Said Martha,  Who Stood On The Other

Side Of The Bed Watching Her Insensible Master.

"Tell Me When This Happened. Come Away To The Upper End Of The Room And

Tell Me About It."

"Might's Well Tell Yer Right Here,  Marse. 'Twon't Sturve Him. Lor!

Thunder Wouldn't Sturve Him,  The Way He Is In."

"Then Tell Me,  How Was It? When Was He Stricken?"

"We Don't Know,  Marse. He Was Found Jes' Dis Way By John Dis

Mornin'--Not Jes Zackly Dis Way,  Howaseber,  Case He Was A-Layin' On His

Lef Side,  W'ich Was Berry Bad; So Me An' John Turn Him Ober Jes So Like

He Is A-Layin' Now. Den We Sent Right Off For You,  Marse,  To Ketch Yer

At Home 'Fore Yer Went To De Works."

"Did He Seem Well When He Came Home Last Night?'

"Jes 'Bout As Ujual,  Marse. He Came In,  An' John He Waited On Him. An He

Ax,  Ole Marse Did,  'Was Mrs. Rossay Gone?' W'ich John Tole Him She Were.

Den He Ordered Dinner To Be Fotch Up. An' John He Had A Pitcher Ob Hot

Punch Ready. An' Ole Marse Drank Some. Den He Went In To Dinner All By

Hisself. An' Young Mark He Waited On De Table,  W'ich He Tell Me,  W'en I

Ax Him Dis Mornin',  How De Ole Marse Eat Much As Ujual,  Wid A Good

Relish. Den Arter Dinner He Went To De Liberairy And Sot Dere A Long

Time. Ole John Say It Were Midnight 'Fo' De Ole Marse Walk Up Stairs An'

Call Him To Wait On Him."

"Was John The Last One Who Saw My Father Before He Was Found Unconscious

This Morning?"

"Hi! Yes,  Young Marse,  To Be Sure He Were. De Las' To See De Ole Marse

In Healt' Las' Night,  An' De Firs' To Fine Him Dis Way Dis Mornin'."

"How Came He To Find His Master In This Condition?"

"It Was Dis Way. Yer Know,  Young Marse,  As Dere Is Two Keys To Ole

Marser's Do',  W'ich Ole Marse Keeps One In His Room To Lock Hisse'f In,

An' John Keeps One To Let Hisse'f In Wen De Ole Marse Rings For Him In

De Mornin'."

"Yes; I Know."

"Well,  Dis Mornin' De Ole Marse Didn't Ring At His Ujual Hour. An' De

Time Passed,  An' De Breakfast Were Ready An' Spilin'. So I Tole John How

He Better Go Up An' See If Ole Marse Was Well,  How Maybe He Didn' Feel

Like Gettin' Up An' Might Want To Take His Breakfas' In Bed. But Lor! I

Nebber Participated Sich A Sarious 'Tack As Dis. Well,  Den,  John He Went

An' Rapped Soft Like. But He Didn't Get No Answer. Den He Rap Little

Louder. But Still No Answer. Den John He Got Scared,  Awful Scared. Las'

John He Plucks Up Courage,  An' Unlocks De Do',  Slow An' Saf',  An' Goes

In On Tiptoe To De Bedside,  An'--An'--An'--Dis Yer Is Wot He Seen. He

T'ought His Ole Marse Were Dead Sure,  An' He Come Howlin' An' Tumblin'

Down To Me,  An' Tole Me So,  An' I Called Young Mark To Follow Me,  Case

Ole John Wa'n't No Good,  An' I Run Up Yere,  An'--An'--An' Dis Yer Is Wot

I Foun'! O'ly He Were A Layin' On His Lef Side,  An' I See He Were

Breavin' An' I Turn' Him Ober On His Right,  An' Did All I Could For Him,

An' Sent John Arter You."

"I Wish The Doctor Would Come," Said Mr. Fabian,  Anxiously,  As He Took

His Father's Hand Again And Tried To Feel The Pulse.

The Door Opened Very Quietly,  And Clarence Came Into The Room. Fabian

Beckoned Him To Approach The Bed.

"How Is He?" Inquired The Younger Man.

"As You See! He Was Found In This Condition By His Servant This Morning.

He Has Shown No Sign Of Consciousness Since," Replied The Elder.

"The Doctor Is Below. Shall He Come Up Now?"

"Certainly."

Clarence Left The Room And Soon Returned With The Physician. After A

Very Brief Examination Of Pulse,  Temperature,  The Pupils Of The Eyes Of

The Patient,  Prompt Measures Were Taken To Relieve The Evident Pressure

On The Brain. The Doctor Bled The Sufferer,  Who Presently Opened His

Eyes,  And Looked Slowly Around His Bed. His Two Sons Bent Over Him.

He Tried To Speak.

They Bent Lower Still To Listen.

After Several Futile Efforts He Uttered One Word:

"Cora."

"Yes,  Father--She Is Here. Go,  Clarence,  And Fetch Her At Once. She Is

At The Ferryman's Cottage."

The Last Sentence Was Added In A Low Whisper. Clarence Immediately Left

The Room To Do His Errand. A Few Minutes Later The Door Opened Softly,

And Clarence Re-Entered The Room With Cora.

Mr. Fabian Went To Meet Her,  Saying Softly:

"He Has Called For You,  My Dear! The Only Word He Has Spoken Since He

Recovered Consciousness Was Your Name."

"So Uncle Clarence Told Me," She Said,  In A Broken Voice.

"Come To Him Now," Said Fabian,  Leading Her To The Bedside.

She Sank On Her Knees And Took The Hand Of The Dying Man And Kissed It,

Pleading:

"Grandfather,  Dear Grandfather,  I Love You. I Am Grieved At Having

Offended You. Will You Forgive Me--Now?"

He Made Several Painful Efforts To Answer Her,  Before He Uttered The Few

Disconnected Words:

"Yes--Forgive--You--Cora."

She Bathed His Hand With Her Tears. All On Her Part Also Was Forgotten

Now--All The Harshness And Despotism Of Years Was Forgotten Now,  And

Nothing Was Remembered But The Gray-Haired Man,  Always Gray-Haired In

Her Knowledge Of Him,  Who Had Protected Her Orphanage And Given Her A

Home And An Education. She Knelt There,  Holding His Hand,  And Was

Presently Touched And Comforted Because The Lingers Of That Hand Closed

On Hers With A Loving Pressure That They Had Never Given Her In All Her

Life Before. That Was The Last Sign Of Consciousness He Gave For Many

Hours.

Mr. Fabian Took The Doctor Aside.

"Ought I To Send For My Wife?" He Inquired.

"Yes; I Think So," Replied The Physician.

And The Son Knew That Answer Was His Father's Sentence Of Death. Not One

Of The Family Could Be Spared From This Death Bed To Go And Fetch

Violet. So Mr. Fabian Went Down Stairs To The Library And Wrote A Hasty

Note:

    Dear Violet: You Offered To Come And Help To Nurse The

    Father,  Who Is Sicker Than We Thought,  But With No Contagious

    Fever. Come Now,  Dear,  And Bring Baby And Nurse,  For You May Have

    To Stay Several Days.

    Fabian.

He Inclosed This Letter In An Envelope,  Sealed And Directed It,  And Took

It Down To The Stable,  Where