samuel flower had taken a turn for the worse and, as wilfrid's practised eye could tell, this was no case for the average woman nurse. flower was sitting up with his hands round his knees glaring at wilfrid, though there was no recognition in his eyes.
"send for cotter," he muttered. "why isn't cotter here? don't tell me that that rascal has betrayed me like the rest of them! not that i trust him, not that i trust any of them for that matter. but he ought to have been here an hour ago. who are you?"
the question was asked with an abruptness that almost startled wilfrid. for a moment the cloud hanging over flower's brain had cleared away and he knew where he was and in whose presence he was lying.
"i am mercer," wilfrid said soothingly. "don't you know me?"
"oh, i know you," flower whispered. "i recognize you. keep those fellows away, will you? don't let them come here again. i tell you it is terrible. i lie fast asleep and then dream, and dream, and dream, and yet my brain is clear and i know everything that is going on around you. but that is nothing to what has to come, mercer. it is pleasure compared with the awful sensation when they wind that dreadful thing about the head and you lie helpless, watching those knots coming closer and closer till the brain sets fire——"
the words trailed off incoherently and flower closed his eyes for a moment. the brief interval of sense vanished and he began again to fume and threaten.
"keep them away from me!" he cried. "keep them away from me! what did you say your name was? it wasn't cotter. oh, i remember, it was mercer—mercer, the dog that i am going to crush when the time comes as if he were an empty eggshell. he saved my life once, but what of that? the fellow is in the way and he must go. but that isn't what i want you for. i want you to send for that doctor. telephone for him at once. find him at any cost. i can't stay here. i dare not stay here. whatever happens i must get back to maldon grange. now go and find him."
the last words came in a harsh tone of command, then flower's sudden access of strength failed him and he collapsed upon the bed an inert mass, scarcely moving and hardly breathing. wilfrid hurried downstairs into the dining-room. the nurse was seated by the fire sipping at a glass of port-wine and beatrice was trying to soothe her.
"it is all right," beatrice explained. "i have managed to get dr. shelton on the telephone and he may be here at any moment. i suppose he will tell us what to do."
in a minute or two shelton's car drove up to the door and the doctor alighted. he listened gravely to all that wilfrid had to say and found time to address a few words to the distressed nurse.
"you are not to blame," he said. "i did not expect complications like this. i shall have to trespass still farther upon dr. mercer's time. it will take me an hour to find a competent male nurse."
beatrice glanced imploringly at wilfrid. in as many words she was asking him to stay and see her through her trouble. he shrugged his shoulders more or less carelessly. what did it matter? it was only a question of a few hours till his house of cards fell about his ears. it would only mean postponing his explanation to his mother till the following day.
"i am in your hands," he said. "as miss galloway knows, there is nothing i would not do for her. so long as i get back to oldborough some time to-night i shall be satisfied."
flower still lay unconscious as wilfrid and his companion reached the bedroom. wilfrid gave shelton a graphic account of what had taken place during the last half-hour.
"upon my word, i am half disposed to let the patient have his own way," he said. "it is very likely he will do much better at maldon grange. mr. flower has something distressing on his mind, and i fancy he has been the victim of some outrage that has more or less unhinged his reason. in point of fact, we ought to call in the police. but it may be wiser to get our man back to maldon grange first."
"you are disposed to try it?" wilfrid asked.
"assuredly," shelton replied. "it is not very difficult. if we wait till evening we can hire a covered motor and take mr. flower to his country house as quietly and comfortably as if he were going out to dinner. it is repeatedly done, as you know, in cases of infectious disease. and if you don't mind, i should like you to go down to maldon grange with him. i cannot manage it myself as i have two operations this afternoon. i know that it is abusing your kindness——"
"not at all," wilfrid said. "i will see the thing through. i presume you will come down to maldon grange to-morrow?"
shelton promised and went his way. he had forgotten almost all about the case before he reached his motor, and wilfrid watched him whirling down the street not without envy. what was almost a matter of life or death to him was merely an ordinary incident to the distinguished surgeon.
the afternoon began to drag. luncheon was a thing of the past and still there was no male nurse. not that he was needed, for flower still lay comatose, opening his eyes from time to time to take such medicine as shelton had prescribed. wilfrid slipped out presently and despatched a couple of telegrams by means of the telephone. one was to swan russell, the other to his friend vardon at oldborough. he would know the worst of his position in an hour or two. when the replies came, they were by no means reassuring. russell was detained and could hold out no hope of seeing wilfrid till to-morrow, whilst vardon's reply was more unsatisfactory. he had failed to get the money from his client in castlebridge and was awaiting wilfrid's further instructions. with a bitter laugh wilfrid screwed up the telegrams and threw them into the fire.
the end of another act of the drama, so far as it concerned himself, could not be delayed more than four-and-twenty hours. and yet, close to wilfrid's hands, lay the document which would make him a free man if he only had the courage to destroy it. but that temptation was past and gone. he would do nothing dishonourable. wilfrid beheld the desk in which the bill lay without the slightest desire to lay hands upon the paper. in a restless fashion he wandered about the bedroom till dusk began to fall, waiting patiently to be relieved. it was nearly dinner-time before the male nurse put in an appearance and wilfrid was free to leave the house if he liked. as he came down the stairs he met beatrice.
"you are not going yet?" she said. "you must dine with me? besides, i understand you promised dr. shelton you would come down to maldon grange with us. everything has been arranged and the car will be here about nine o'clock. it seems strange my uncle should fancy he will be better in a great, lonely house like maldon grange. but dr. shelton thinks it right to humour him. i would rather stay here."
the girl shuddered as she spoke and her face turned pale.
"you don't want to go home?" wilfrid asked.
"i am afraid to go," beatrice confessed. "during the past day or two my nerves have broken down. the mere thought of returning to that mansion sets me trembling, but i must go because duty to my uncle bids me."
wilfrid made no reply. he was watching how beatrice made a pretence of eating her dinner. a sudden idea occurred to him.
"something could be managed," he said. "the nurse will be with your uncle and i will stay at maldon grange to-night if you like. we shall be there a little after ten, and as soon as your uncle is made comfortable i can take you into oldborough and you can stay with my mother. you will be company for her, and it will also be better for you to be away from maldon grange. now don't make any objection. you must see the advantages of the plan."
beatrice contested the point no farther. she was too unstrung to argue, but she smiled gratefully.
"very well," she said. "it shall be as you say, and i hope you will forget what i said to-day."
