Evening was closing in upon the Scioto valley after a day of
incessant rain often accompanied by sharp flashes of lightning
and heavy peals of thunder; the streets were flooded, the trees,
shrubbery, all things not under shelter, were dripping with moisture;
and still the rain fell in torrents and at intervals the thunder
crashed overhead, waking the echoes of the hills and frightening the
timid and nervous with its prolonged and angry roar.
It was just as it had grown too dark for those within doors to
distinguish passers by, who, indeed were very few and far between,
and during one of the heaviest showers, and the most terrific
discharge of thunder and lightning, that Dr. Clendenin and his
attendant, Zeb, came dashing into the town and hastily alighted at
the door of the doctor's office.
Hearing, between the thunder peals, the sound of horses' hoofs, and
Clendenin's voice giving directions to Zeb, Dale rushed to the door
to greet his friend; in his great delight more than half inclined to
embrace him after the fashion of womankind.
"Hello, doc! are you actually here _in propria persona_? Well I must
say this is a most agreeable ending of an intensely disagreeable day.
I am glad to see you; think I was never gladder in my life!" he went
on, shaking Kenneth's hand again and again; "but I wonder how you
had the courage to push on in spite of such a storm. Must have had
trouble in crossing some of the streams, hadn't you?"
"Yes, we had to swim our horses several times," Kenneth answered,
beginning to divest himself of his wet outer garments.
"I'd have taken refuge in some hospitable farm-house till the storm
was over," said Dale, helping him off with his overcoat.
"We stopped and had supper at Shirley's, and I was strongly urged to
stay till morning; but really felt it impossible to sleep within five
miles of Chillicothe," Clendenin said with a gayety of look and tone
that struck Dale as something new in him.
"Hello! old fellow, you seem in rare good spirits," he remarked in a
tone of mingled surprise and pleasure.
"I believe I am; and yet a little anxious too," Kenneth answered, his
face growing grave. "How are all our friends here?"
"All flourishing at the major's," laughed Dale, with a quizzical
look. "Ah ha! I believe I have an inkling of the reason why you
couldn't stop short of Chillicothe. But you'll not think of making
friendly calls in such weather. They'd think you crazy, man."
Clendenin's only reply was a quiet smile.
Truly he meant to be knocking at the major's door within the next
half hour. What, live in suspense till another day, while within
three minutes walk of her who held his fate in her hands? Impossible!
'twould take a severer tempest than the one now raging to keep him
from her side.
Dale, watching him with curious scrutiny, read all this in his
speaking countenance, yet was morally certain he would not enter the
major's doors that night--duty would erect a more impassable barrier
than the fiercest war of the elements.
"Doc," he said with rueful look, as he perceived that his friend was
nearly ready to sally forth upon his eagerly desired errand, "I hate
most confoundedly to have you disappointed, but the truth is--"
"What! Godfrey, you surely said they were all well? Has--has
anything--"
"No, no, you needn't turn pale, or be in the least alarmed. It's
only that you're called another way. Fact is Flora Barbour's lying
at death's door; Buell's given her up, and Barbour's been round here
several times to-day, knowing that I'd got a letter and you were
expected, and made me promise over and over again to get you there
as soon as possible in case you came. You see they have the greatest
confidence in your skill, and can't give up the hope that you can
save her yet."
Without a word, but scarcely able to suppress a heavy sigh, Kenneth
at once began preparations to obey the unexpected call.
"I declare it's a shame!" cried Dale, "I wouldn't be a doctor, to
come and go at everybody's beck and call, for a mint of money."
"It's a noble profession, Godfrey, spite of some serious drawbacks,"
returned Clendenin, constrained to smile at his friend's vehemence,
albeit his disappointment was really very great.
Protecting himself as well as might be from the deluge of rain that
as yet knew no abatement, he hurried on his way.
The Barbours had, like most of their neighbors, exchanged their log
cabin for a comfortable two story dwelling, and from an upper window
the light of a candle gleamed out upon the darkness of the street.
Kenneth glanced up at it with the thought that there the sick girl
was lying.
Mr. Barbour met him at the door.
"Thank God you have come; though I'm afraid it's too late," he said
in a hoarse whisper, wringing Kenneth's hand.
"Don't despair, while there's life, there's hope," Kenneth answered
feelingly. "Shall I go to her at once?"
"Yes; but maybe you'd like to see Buell first. He's in here," opening
an inner door.
Dr. Buell, who was seated at a table measuring out medicines, rose
and came forward to meet Dr. Clendenin.
The two shook hands cordially, Buell saying, "I am very glad to see
you, sir! You are the family physician, and I trust will now take
charge of the case."
"I should like to consult with you, doctor," Kenneth said. "What is
the disease?"
In answer Dr. Buell gave a full report of the symptoms and the
treatment thus far; the two consulted for a few moments, then went
together to the sick room.
They entered noiselessly. The room was silent as the grave. The
patient lay in a deathlike sleep; and beside her, motionless as a
statue, watching intently for the slightest movement, sat, not the
mother, she was too nervous, too full of real or imaginary ailments
of her own, to be a fit nurse for her child, but Nell Lamar, sweeter,
fairer, lovelier in her lover's eyes than ever before.
His heart thrilled with ecstatic joy at the sight, but her eyes
remained fixed upon the deathlike face on the pillow, and a
slight deepening of the rose on her cheek alone gave token of a
consciousness of their entrance.
They lingered but a moment, withdrew as noiselessly as they had
entered, and held a second consultation.
Both pronounced it the crisis of the disease and thought that the
next few hours would decide the question of life or death.
"Miss Lamar has proved herself an excellent nurse," said Dr. Buell,
"and has promised to stay with her through the night. I meant to
share her vigil, if you had not come, Clendenin, but I have lost a
good deal of rest lately and have a very sick patient of my own."
"It is my turn," was Kenneth's prompt reply, "and I shall not leave
her till the crisis is past."
Dr. Buell now took his departure and Dr. Clendenin found himself
compelled to spend some time in attendance upon Mrs. Barbour, and in
comforting and encouraging the distressed husband and father.
At length he was free to return to the sick room, and in another
moment was standing close beside her who had for years held dominion
over his noble, manly heart, and into whose ear he longed with
inexpressible longing to pour out the story of his love.
Yet must he remain mute, for no word might be spoken to break the
silence of the room where life and death were trembling in the
balance.
But he stood gazing down upon the loved face till some magnetic spell
forced the beautiful violet eyes to lift themselves to his.
Ah, words were not needed! His eyes now spoke joy and entreaty too,
as well as love, and she knew that the barrier which had so long
separated them, whatever it might have been, was swept away.
Her eyes dropped beneath his ardent gaze, a vivid charming blush
suddenly suffusing her cheek, then again yielding to that magic spell
were timidly raised to his.
He held out his hand, she laid hers in it and found it held fast in
a warm tender clasp that would not let it go, that seemed to speak
proprietorship; and strangely enough, considering how highly she had
always valued her liberty--she did not care to resist the claim,
nor did she repulse him even when, presently, he bowed his head and
pressed a passionate kiss upon the white fingers.
The patient slept on; the family retired to rest and utter stillness
reigned through all the house; outside there was the incessant drip,
drip of the rain, but not a solitary footstep passed; it seemed as
though they two were alone in the world save for that motionless form
on the bed.
There came another terrific peal of thunder, yet the sleeper did not
stir, but Nell instinctively drew nearer her companion, while he with
the impulse to protect her, threw an arm about her waist and drew her
close to his side. Neither intended it, but the next instant their
lips met and they knew they were betrothed.
Blushing deeply, though her eyes shone and her heart thrilled with an
exquisite joy, Nell would have withdrawn herself from his embrace,
but he gently detained her; she was his and he could not let her go
yet; and again she yielded to his stronger will.
She wondered at her own submissiveness as she realized to-night that
it was a positive pleasure to be ruled.
The hours flew by on viewless wings; it was no hard task to keep that
vigil, yet the physician was not forgotten in the lover.
Toward morning the patient awoke and recognized her watchers with a
pleased smile. The crisis was safely passed. Nell knew it instantly
by the glad look in the doctor's face.
He held a cup to Flora's lips, saying in a low quiet tone, "Swallow
this, my child, and go to sleep again."
She obeyed. He drew a long sigh of relief. He had been bending over
her in intense anxiety for the last half hour.
"Saved! The Lord be praised!" he whispered, turning to Nell with
shining eyes. Then, taking her hand, "My darling, my own, is it not
so?"
She astonished herself and him by bursting into a passion of tears.
It was simply overwrought nerves. She had been exceedingly anxious
about Flora and had watched beside her day and night for nearly
a week. After months of mental disquietude because of apparently
unrequited love, the revulsion of feeling was too sudden and too
great for the worn out physical frame, and this was the result.
He understood it in a moment.
"Let the tears have their way," he said tenderly; "it will do you
good. I will leave you for a little, while I carry this good news to
the anxious parents."
By the time he came back Nell had recovered her composure, but was
too shamefaced to look at him.
"Well, fair lady, will you vouchsafe an answer to my question now?"
he asked, kneeling before her and taking both hands in his, while he
looked into her eyes with his own brimful of tenderness, love and joy.
"I'm not worth having," she answered with unwonted humility, speaking
in the whispered tone that he had used.
"That is for me to judge," he returned, with laughing eyes. "But do
be kind enough to answer my question. Or let me put it in another
form. Will you have me, have me for protector and provider, lover,
husband and friend?"
"Yes, if you will take me in exchange, and not think it a bad
bargain," she said with a sudden impulse, and hid her blushing face
on his breast as he folded her close with a glad solemn "God bless
you, my darling! I shall be the gainer a thousand fold!"