A Sister of the Red Cross: A Tale of the South African War. Meade L. T.

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СКАЧАТЬ am glad to hand over the case to you for to-night. You are good-natured, and Aylmer is fond of you. I hope the poor boy will pull through. What does the doctor say?"

      "Armstrong says it is a critical case."

      Strause's face looked grave.

      "He is right," he replied, after a pause. "None of Aylmer's family are sound. The father and mother died young. Well, poor chap, he has an abundance of this world's pelf: it will be a pity if he does not live to enjoy it. I will look round in the morning. Bye-bye for the present."

      Strause's manner was friendly, and Keith reproached himself for the marked dislike he felt towards him. Presently he softly entered the sickroom, and sat down. Aylmer was sleeping. He awoke presently, and said in a drowsy tone, —

      "My eyes hurt me; can you do without a candle in the room?"

      "Certainly," replied Keith. "I will have a light in your sitting-room, and the door between the two rooms can be open."

      "I am better, I think," said Aylmer, after a pause. "Is it time for my medicine?"

      "Not for half an hour," replied Keith. "Go to sleep; I won't wake you if you happen to be asleep. The doctor says it is not necessary."

      Aylmer closed his eyes and lay still. In a few minutes he moved fretfully, and said in a voice full of pain, —

      "That horrible torture is beginning again. You must give me some of the opiate."

      Keith rose immediately, took the smaller bottle of medicine, went into the anteroom, and poured out very carefully a teaspoonful, which he brought to Aylmer. Aylmer took it and lay still. In about a quarter of an hour he called out, —

      "Keith, are you there?"

      "Yes; what's up?"

      "The pain is no better. It grows intolerable – I cannot endure it. I must have a second dose at once. Make it a little larger – do, like a good fellow – a dessertspoonful."

      "I can't possibly do it, Aylmer. The doctor said that you were not to have this special medicine oftener than once an hour, and it is not a quarter of an hour since you had the last dose. You shall have a second after an hour is up. Now stay quite still, and then perhaps the pain will go off!"

      Aylmer lay as still as he could, but the dew on his forehead and the pallor of his drawn face showed the agony through which he was living. His restless hands began plucking at the bed-clothes. Keith suddenly took one, and imprisoned it in both his own.

      "My mother used to say that I had the hand or a mesmerist," he said. "Let me mesmerize you now. I will that pain goes."

      Aylmer smiled. His blue eyes grew full of gratitude.

      "There never was any one like you, Keith, old man," he said. "Whatever happens, I'd like you to know – I'd like you to know what I feel – I mean my gratitude to you. Keith, I believe I'd have gone to the dogs but for you, old fellow. But now – "

      "Don't talk, Aylmer; you have to live a long life and prove your words."

      "Oh, this agony!" cried the poor boy. "Keith, I don't believe I'll ever get better. Will you send for the doctor again? I know I am much worse."

      "I will give you your opiate again at the end of an hour," said Keith, "and then, if you are not better, I will send for Armstrong. But, remember, he expected these paroxysms at intervals. He thought you going on nicely when he saw you at nine o'clock."

      "I am worse now – much worse."

      Keith suddenly rose.

      "Why, it is time for your other medicine," he said; "perhaps you will feel easier after you have taken it."

      Keith now crossed the room to the little table, took up the larger bottle, and went into the anteroom. He poured out a full dose of two tablespoonfuls, and brought the medicine in a glass to Aylmer. Aylmer drank it off, uttering a sigh as he did so.

      "It doesn't taste quite the same," he said, "but – " His voice dropped away into a drowsy monotone. "You were quite right," he remarked in a minute: "the pain is dulled – I am beautifully sleepy. Don't disturb me, please."

      "Certainly not. Go to sleep now; I am close to you."

      Keith sat for some time motionless by the sick man's side. He knew by the gentle breathing that Aylmer had dropped into profound slumber. Presently he moved into an arm-chair, stretched himself out, and closed his eyes. Without intending it, he dropped off himself into sleep. During that sleep he had terrified dreams that Aylmer was calling him, and that Strause was preventing his going to him. At last he started up, his heart beating very fast.

      "Did you call, Aylmer?" he said in a low voice, and yet loud enough to be heard in case the sick man was awake.

      There was no reply. Startled by the stillness, Keith rose to his feet and went to the bedside.

      "He is sleeping very quietly indeed," thought Keith; "I cannot even hear him breathe."

      Then his own heart began to beat in an irregular, nervous fashion; a cold fear took possession of him. He went into the anteroom, struck a match, lit a candle, and brought it to the bedside. One glance showed him that Aylmer was dead.

      Such a sudden termination to a young life caused a good deal of excitement in the regiment, and Keith was so knocked up that he was unable to attend to his duties for a day or two. The doctor expressed no surprise, however, at the sudden ending of the disease. A death certificate was duly given, and a few days afterwards Major Strause followed his young relative to his grave. The other officers of the regiment also followed Aylmer to his last resting-place; but Keith was still suffering from a queer, nervous seizure, which had come to him when he had found his charge dead.

      "I can never forgive myself for falling asleep as I did," was his thought. "Perhaps if I had been wide awake and on the alert I might have been able to give the poor fellow a stimulant, and so have saved his life."

      After his death Aylmer's will was read, and it was found that he had left Gavon Keith ten thousand pounds. The rest of his money went to different charities, with the exception of a few legacies to old servants of his father's. Major Strause's name was not mentioned at all. This was the will made by Aylmer when he had been three months in the regiment. A few of his brother officers expressed surprise when they heard that Keith had got so large a legacy. He was congratulated on all sides, however, for he was a prime favourite.

      A fortnight went past, and one afternoon Major Strause went to see Keith. Keith was better, although he still looked pulled down, and his face was white.

      "Well," said Strause, "glad to see you looking more like yourself."

      "Yes; I am pulling round at last," replied Keith. "I cannot think why I gave way in this beastly fashion."

      "It was a shock. No wonder," said Strause. "You know, of course, what a lucky chap you are? Ten thousand pounds to the good! It is worth having a small shock in such a cause."

      Keith did not reply.

      "Are you dumb, man?" said Strause, in some annoyance. "You have heard of the legacy?"

      "I have. I wish in all conscience that he had not done it."

      "Gammon!" was Strause's rude remark.

      Keith flushed, СКАЧАТЬ