CONVALESCENT.
The "Pallas" had been in port twenty days before Jordan began to sit
up, a few minutes at a time. He was still very weak, but his face was
transfigured by an almost divine light. It was reflected radiance from
the eyes of Margaret Hazleton.
The doctor had thrown away his medicine, telling Jordan that all he
needed was good nursing and as much food as his stomach could assimilate.
It was a happy little company. Jordan and Mrs. Hazleton, Sedgwick and his
wife, the doctor and Captain McGregor--for the ship had been left with
the first officer, and the captain had turned nurse to relieve Sedgwick.
A week later Jordan could sit up most of the day, and Captain McGregor
had begun to absent himself two or three hours every afternoon. About
this time Browning's dispatch was received.
Sedgwick was needed in London. What was best to do?
He prepared a statement of the mine, signed it and got Jordan to sign it,
and he shipped the bullion to a well-known Paris banking house.
Nothing held him back except Jordan's illness. He was growing anxious,
and his wife, who watched his every mood, quickly discovered it. So soon
as she did, she went to him, put an arm around one of his, and said.
"What is it, love? What is it that is troubling you?"
He explained that he ought to be in London, but Jordan was yet too weak
to travel, and he could not leave him--not for twenty mines.
Grace thought the matter over for two or three minutes, and then said
cheerfully:
"I have it, husband! We will get a nurse for the dear man. I will remain,
and Margaret and myself and the nurse can see to him, and will follow you
when he can travel."
Sedgwick looked at her fondly for a moment, and then said:
"You are a great little woman, sure enough; but you are such a one that
I would rather remain than go without you."
She put her hands upon his lips, and said:
"Duty, love. Hist, we must always be brave and self-forgetful enough to
do our duty. I am going now to see Margaret." She walked a few steps,
then turned back and said:
"Why would it not be the right thing for Mr. Jordan and Margaret to be
married before you leave?"
"I believe it would," said Sedgwick, "only that I have planned that we
would give them a great wedding in London."
"So had I," said Grace, "and we will."
Just as they were talking, Captain McGregor came from the direction of
the harbor.
"I have news for you," he said. "I have sold the 'Pallas.' She will sail
to-morrow, and now I propose to remain with you, and go with you to
London when you go."
"You have sold the dear ship?" said Sedgwick. "And what of the doctor and
the crew?"
"They will sail in her. The doctor will be up to make his adieus
to-night. They wanted to charter the craft for a long voyage. I would not
go, but offered to sell, and they bought, and re-engaged the officers,
the surgeon and the crew."
"Let us go on board," said Sedgwick. "I want to bid those good men
good-bye."
"So do I," said the captain. "I will be grateful if you will go with me."
"Wait a moment until I run down to the bank," said Sedgwick. "While I am
gone, Grace, get your hat and wrap; and by the way, captain, how many
men and officers are there?"
The captain replied: "Six officers, the surgeon and steward, three
waiters, twelve seamen and sixteen men in the firing department."
The company soon set out, and went on board the "Pallas."
All hands were called on deck. Captain McGregor made them a little
speech; told them that his chief regret in giving up the ship was in
parting with them, and wished them all happiness and prosperity. They
gave him three cheers, and all shook hands with him, wishing him long
life and asking God's blessing for him.
Then Sedgwick stepped forward, and said:
"My Dear Friends:--That I was able to bring one whom I love
better than a brother to where he could find the strength to get well,
I owe to you. He is yet too weak to be moved, or he would be here by my
side to thank you. I was much absorbed on the voyage, but I saw how you,
officers and seamen, worked to take advantage of every puff of wind and
every current of the sea. I know how you others were working in the hell
of the fire-room, and I shall be grateful to you as long as I live. I
wish you all health, happiness and prosperity in the future.
"You, with your grand captain, carried the machinery to Africa, which has
made me a good deal of money. You brought home my friend when he was
making an unequal fight for life. I want each of you to have a little
souvenir of my gratitude."
With that he undid a package which he had been holding in his hand. It
contained a bunch of envelopes. He handed one to each of the officers and
men.
Those for the mates and engineers each contained bank notes of the value
of £200. Those of the men each contained £50. The doctor's contained
£1,000.
The men whispered eagerly among themselves for a moment; then the third
mate said:
"Mr. Sedgwick, the lads want me to ask you how they can best thank you.
They are not much talkers, and this gift of yours has about beached their
tongues."
Sedgwick smiled and said: "No thanks are needed, but I want to tell you
that this is all due to the dearest woman in the world," putting his arm
around Grace. "If you will each come and shake the hand of my wife, all
the gratitude you feel will be receipted for."
They joyfully responded, and one old tar, more bold than the rest, said,
as he took the fair little hand of Grace in the grasp of his own knotted
hand: "Your mon is a mighty poor hand to save money, but he'll be richer
nor Rothschild as long as you are spared to him."
They gave their old captain and his friend three cheers as they passed
over the ship's side, and McGregor wiped his eyes all the way back to the
hotel.
Grace went at once to the sick-room. Jordan was half reclining in an
easy-chair. Margaret was sitting where he could see her, and was
evidently reading to him, when Grace entered.
Jordan spoke: "Take a cheer, madam. Maggie wur readin' 'nd it's mighty
comfortin'. It's like sipping old wine and hearin' music in thar next
room same time."
"Don't you mind him, Grace," said Margaret. "He is still very weak, and
all that he says is not as deep as it might be." But she smiled fondly at
him while she spoke.
"Don't yo' b'leve her, Mrs. Sedgwick," said Jordan. "We all has weak
spots in our hearts; she's mine."
Grace put one hand on Jordan's hand, the other on Margaret's cheek, and
said:
"Say all the pretty things of her that you please, Mr. Jordan, and do not
mind her, for her heart has been starving for those same words from your
lips for a long time."
Margaret was silent, but she smiled; and a great flush swept over her
face as she smiled.
"Everything war right, after all," said Jordan. "Hed I not lost her, I
mighter grown careless o' her like other men do sometimes uv those they
luv, but no matter, we has a understandin'."
And again the happy woman smiled and blushed.
Then Grace explained how much her husband was needed in England; that she
had determined to remain until Mr. Jordan could travel, and let her
husband go; that Captain McGregor had sold the "Pallas," and she thought
she would remain with them, and asked Jordan if he thought they, with a
nurse, could take care of him.
Before he could answer, Mrs. Hazleton interposed and said:
"All this sickness and sorrow came through me. Henceforth my life is to
be devoted to where it can do most good. We do not want any display. Why
can we not be married? Then I will be his nurse, and he will need no
other. You can go with your husband, and we will come when Tom is
stronger. What say you, love?"
"Do not answer, Mr. Jordan," said Grace. "We have fixed it for you to be
married where my husband and myself--where Jack and Rose--were married.
We will remain until you can travel."
"I'd be mighty glad ter call yo' 'wife' now, Maggie," said Jordan; "but I
don't reckon it's squar for a man ter take advantage of his nuss." Then
turning to Mrs. Sedgwick, he continued: "Tell Jim I'll be ready ter leave
ter-morrer evenin'."
So next day they started by easy stages for London. Sedgwick engaged a
special car to be stopped off at any point he might desire. They rested a
day in Milan, another in Paris, and there Sedgwick arranged to have the
bullion that might come from the 'Wedge of Gold' at all times at his
immediate disposal. They reached London in six days; Jordan had gained so
much that he walked to the carriage from the Dover depot, and with
Sedgwick's and McGregor's support, walked up the steps of Sedgwick's
house.
Rose had dinner waiting for them, and at dinner expressed the sentiments
of all by saying: "I believe this is just now the happiest house in all
England."