When Carden returned to Ireland he found Martin, although still very
weak, progressing rapidly. As predicted by Mrs. Moran, he had improved
steadily since his nurses were changed--not that Julia was not a kind
and attentive one, but then, she was not Kate to Martin. He was now able
to sit up and no particular restraint was placed on his talking provided
the subject was not too exciting.
Immediately on his arrival Carden communicated to his uncle the contents
of the letters received by Mrs. Stafford from Hall, and inquired whether
Mr. Stafford knew what mortgages Hall actually held--at the same time
assuring him that in his opinion there was no reason to worry. Mr.
Stafford knew nothing, except that he had always paid his interest to
Messrs. Jones & Jones and that they had been very lenient up to the last
application he had made for time. He related what Hall had told him
about the way he came to be the possessor of the mortgages, and that was
all he knew. Carden then proposed consulting Martin, but Mr. Stafford
objected. He did not care to have a stranger--and after all Martin was
only a stranger--so intimate with his affairs.
Although Mr. Stafford would not consent to consulting Martin in regard
to the mortgages until it became absolutely necessary, Carden in
relating what had occurred during his illness, could not avoid some
mention of them.
Martin, however, made no comment regarding the mortgages. He did not
speak for a few minutes, but when he did he startled Carden.
"Fred," he said, in his quiet determined way, "I must get back to London
at once. There is a great deal to be done before the time for this
marriage arrives, and nothing can be accomplished by sitting here
waiting, like Micawber, for something to turn up. If anything does turn
up it will not be to our advantage, and I shall be better doing
something than idling here. So I'm off by to-night's boat."
Carden looked aghast on hearing this, but knowing the utter uselessness
of objection, simply said:
"Very well, Dick. But don't you think it would be wise to hear what the
doctor has to say about it?"
After looking at his watch, Martin replied:
"Well, as I can't get away until evening I see no objection to that;
but, Fred, you know it will not make a particle of difference."
Fred knew this perfectly well, so making an excuse to get out, he set
about trying to learn in advance what the doctor would say, and if
possible, prevent his, (Martin's) departure.
He called on Doctor Fox, and when he had told his story the physician
simply laughed at the idea of Martin attempting to get off that evening.
"Why, he must be out of his head again!" he exclaimed. "The man is as
weak as a child, and would die from sheer exhaustion before he reached
Dublin."
"But he will go nevertheless unless we can devise some means of
preventing him. You don't quite know your patient, Doctor. I do, and I'm
very sorry I did not consult you before telling him certain things which
I should have known would have resulted in this determination of his to
go to London."
"Oh! And so, in spite of my warning, you _have_ been talking business to
him--eh? Well, sir, allow me to tell you that if your friend starts
to-day or to-night, or any other time for several days, he will be on
his last journey as sure as fate! While outwardly a cool, calm fellow,
he is of a highly nervous temperament, and were it not for that he would
go to sleep this afternoon and not awake until after the train had
gone. That would be my course with an ordinary obstreperous patient, but
with your friend it would be equally as bad as allowing him to go."
"But what are we to do?" asked Carden helplessly.
"I don't know exactly what to say," replied the doctor, slowly. "By the
way! What relations, may I ask, exist between your cousin and your
friend? Are they engaged?"
Carden seemed struck by the suggestion contained in the doctor's
question.
"No--I wish they were! My cousin, I may tell you in confidence, Doctor,
is engaged to the man with whom Dick fought, but it was not on her
account, fortunately."
"Phew!" whistled the doctor. "Then, my friend, for some reason, you may
depend upon it, she's engaged to the wrong man! There's more in this
than appears on the surface. Your cousin is a very deep girl and not
easily seen through, but engaged or not, your only hope of stopping your
friend is through her. Consult her if you have an opportunity--I can do
nothing but warn him, and that you tell me will be waste of breath.
Still, it's my duty to do it, and I shall take care that it's done in
her presence. It's now about time for my call. You go ahead and see
that she is there when I arrive."
Carden departed at once, and on returning to the inn found Kate reading
to Martin, who was lying back in his chair before the open window, with
half closed eyes, drinking in the balmy air and the musical tones of the
reader at the same time--the last man in the world one would suspect of
contemplating a sudden, and, to an invalid, long and rough journey.
On Carden's entrance the reading ceased, Martin came back to earth, and
the three entered into conversation, which continued until the doctor's
arrival.
Doctor Fox made a more careful examination of Martin than usual and
announced the result.
"You are doing very well, and will be all right again in a few days,
provided you keep very quiet and do not attempt too much. Over exertion
just now would ruin everything and throw you right back to the starting
point--perhaps kill you."
"Yes," assented Martin, "I am feeling the result of your skill and the
care of my watchful nurse, who will scarcely allow me to breathe, except
in accordance with your orders."
Carden and Kate smiled, as did the speaker himself, but the doctor
preserved his gravity. The turn of the conversation did not suit him,
and he saw plainly Martin intended to avoid the subject of the trip to
London.
"Do not underestimate the care of your watchful nurse, Mr. Martin," he
said, very gravely. "But for that care I do not know that I could do
much for you. And be careful that you do not overestimate the
improvement that has taken place."
"So Fred's been telling you about it!" commenced Martin, looking
significantly toward Kate.
Ignoring the look and speaking to his patient but at the nurse, the
doctor replied:
"If by 'it' you mean your mad idea of making a trip to London in your
present helpless condition, he has, and it is my duty to warn you that
such a trip would result in your death--even before reaching your
destination."
Martin was annoyed, and looked it. He had not intended that Kate should
know anything up to the last moment of his intended trip, and to quell
the conversation regarding it simply bowed in acknowledgment of the
doctor's warning.
Kate, it should have been mentioned, had only the previous night found
Martin's letter in her pocket and read it. She now knew his secret--and
her own too--but as she reached the end of the letter she saw that it
was intended to have been sent her only in the event of the writer's
death, and now understood why it had been left on the table where she
found it. Except that it had made her a little more careful, and, if
possible, a little more tender, Kate showed no sign of what had been
revealed by the letter.
Doctor Fox was watching her while telling Martin that at present a trip
to London meant death, and as he expected, she grew pale and looked
troubled, but, contrary to his expectations, did not speak. He did not
know what she had learned during the night. Had it been yesterday she
would have joined forces with him and entered a vigorous protest--but it
was to-day now.
Carden knew it was useless to speak and he, too, remained silent; and
driven to his last resource, the doctor appealed directly to Kate.
"Miss Stafford, do not you, to whom our friend is so deeply indebted,
think it very rash, not to say ungrateful, to throw away the result of
our labors by imperilling his life, as he will in taking this mad trip
to London?"
Kate raised her eyes to find Martin gazing intently at her. It was an
unexpected encounter on both sides, and caused a slight blush to mantle
Kate's cheeks, for she felt that if her glance expressed as much as his,
Martin had learned a great deal.
With eyes cast down she replied rather confusedly that she hoped Mr.
Martin would not think of going--but, of course, he knew best what to
do.
The doctor had really taken a great liking to all of the party,
especially Martin and Kate, and this reply, so unlike what he had
expected, drove him out of temper.
"And you pretend to be his friends, and yet will allow him without
protest to make this insane trip, knowing it will probably be his last!
I'll be hanged if I can understand it! I had certainly hoped for your
support, Miss Stafford, but it seems you are like the rest, and I must
wash my hands of the whole affair."
The doctor had just eased his mind when he suddenly detected something
coming and quickly added:
"Mr. Carden, I must see you down-stairs for a moment," and without
waiting for a reply hurried Carden out.
"Mr. Carden," said the doctor, somewhat excitedly, as he hurried that
astonished gentleman along, "let's go right down to the bar and take
something to drink! You may not have been aware of it, but I've taken a
great fancy to our friend and your cousin! I have, by George! And we
must take a drink on it!"
"But what the deuce has that got to do with it?" asked Carden, beginning
to think the doctor had already had too much.
"Everything, my boy, everything! Our friend has by this time very
sensibly decided not to go to London at present!--Two more, please."
This last to the barmaid.
"Yes," he continued, answering Carden's glance, "yes, my dear boy, it is
all settled by this time! I told you she was engaged to the wrong man,
and I was right--but that's all over now!"
Carden looked a trifle mystified at first, but as the doctor proceeded a
light began to dawn upon him. It was not very clear, however.
"What do you mean, Doctor? Surely you think that since you dragged me
down here----"
"Just what I do mean!" interrupted the doctor. "How blind you fathers
and mothers, cousins and brothers are! Why, if I had not dragged you
down here, as you put it, the explosion would have taken place while we
were there, but our presence would have made it premature; and like most
premature explosions, would have resulted only in hurting all
present--more especially the two up-stairs."
At this moment a messenger entered with two telegrams--one for Carden,
the other for Martin.
Carden's telegram read:
"Have Hall here under arrest for duelling. Get me
official information of fight--see O'Brien.
"BLOUNT."
With the telegram as an excuse Carden was about to return to Martin's
rooms, when the doctor stopped him, saying very earnestly:
"Hold on, Mr. Carden! You appeared anxious only a short time ago to stop
Martin from leaving here. He has now, I firmly believe, abandoned that
idea. Do you want to start him again with that?" indicating the
telegram. As Carden stopped hesitatingly he continued with a humorous
look: "And, besides, you should have some regard for their feelings.
Just put yourself in his or her place and imagine anyone intruding so
quickly!"
"Bosh!" was the irritable response of Carden, but he sat down with the
doctor and joined that gentleman in disposing of some bitter beer--"just
to pass away the time."
This is what happened up-stairs.
Doctor Fox had scarcely dragged Carden out of the room before Kate burst
into tears. Martin was startled by this sudden outburst of emotion and
was very much troubled. It was no slight cause that forced such an
exhibition of emotion from so reserved and proud a girl as Kate. As the
crying increased Martin become more troubled, and after a momentary
struggle surrendered.
Walking over to her with more strength and firmness than he had shown
since being wounded, Martin raised her up, and taking her in his arms
kissed her. She seemed to know what was coming, for from behind her
handkerchief came a tear-stained face wearing an hysterical smile to
receive his salute.
"You will not go away," she said, not inquiringly.
"No--of course not, since it troubles you."
That was all. There was no giving or asking. No questioning the right of
one or the submission of the other. It was all decided from the moment
Martin had arisen from his chair--although he knew nothing about the
letter.
After a half hour Doctor Fox yielded to Carden and knocked at Martin's
door. On entering both saw at once that something unusual had happened.
Kate had removed all traces of her recent emotion and looked exceedingly
bright and happy. Martin looked very complacent, his face wore a happy
smile, and the mingled air of pride and ownership with which he now and
then looked at Kate tickled the doctor immensely.
"I have to crave your pardon for our hurrying away," said the doctor,
immediately on entering, "but I really had something of importance to
say to Mr. Carden."
"All right, Doctor!" replied Martin, and as he tore open the telegram
exclaimed: "By Jupiter! What does this mean?"
"Well, what is to be done?" asked Carden. "You are the only person in
the place capable of giving the authorities the necessary information.
O'Brien is away in some horrible place with a worse name; the surgeon
skipped off as soon as he thought you were going to die, and Carroll is
off in Scotland shooting. You are the only one left to give the
information."
"And from me it will never be obtained! I was a fool to go into the
thing at all, but my being a fool is no reason that he should be
punished. It was perfectly fair and he took greater chances than I
did--though he was not aware of it."
"Good!" exclaimed the doctor.
Kate smiled approval. Carden gave it up.