The Purchase Price; Or, The Cause of CompromiseHough, Emerson
History
The Purchase Price; Or, The Cause of Compromise
Hough, Emerson
United States -- History -- 1815-1861 -- Fiction
"Somehow, yes, me," answered Eleazar. Dunwody nodded. Without
further speech the old man rolled up his sleeves and addressed
himself to his task. Not without skill, he approached the broken
ends of the ulna, which was fractured above the wrist. Having done
this without much difficulty he called out for splints, and when
some pieces of thin wood were brought him he had them shaped to his
needs, adjusted about them his bandage and made all fast. His
patient made no sound of suffering. She only panted, like a
frightened bird held in the hand, although the sobbing of Jeanne
filled the room. The forehead of Dunwody was beaded. He said
nothing, not even when they had finished all they now could do to
make her comfortable.
"_Au revoir_, Mademoiselle," said Eleazar, at length. "I go now
for those doc'."
A moment later the room was cleared, none but Dunwody remaining.
At last, then, they were alone together.
"Go away! Bring me Jeanne!" she cried at him. His lips only
tightened.
"May I not have Jeanne?" she wailed again.
"Yes, you shall have Jeanne--you shall have anything you want," he
answered at length, quietly. "Only get well. Forgive me all this
if you can."
Josephine's lips trembled. "May I go?" she demanded of him.
There was a strange gentleness in his voice. "You're hurt. It
would be impossible for you to go now. Don't be afraid. Don't!
Don't!"
She looked at him keenly, in spite of her suffering. There seemed
some change about him. At length, heavily, his head sunk, he left
the room.
Jeanne herself, sobbing, tearful, withal overjoyed, rejoined her
mistress. The two embraced as was best possible. As her senses
cleared, a sort of relief came over Josephine. Now, she began to
reason, for the time she was shielded by this infirmity; comforted
also by the presence of one as weak and helpless as herself.
"It's an ill wind, Jeanne, which blows no one good," she smiled
bravely. "See, now we are together again."
"Madame!" gulped Jeanne. "Madame!"
"Fie, fie, Jeanne! In time we shall be away from here."
"Madame, I like it not--this house. Something here is wrong. We
must fly!"
"But, Jeanne, I am helpless. We must wait, now."
All that night and till morning of the next day they waited, alone,
Dunwody not appearing, though continually old Sally brought up
proofs of his solicitousness. At last there came the sound of
hoofs on the gravel road, and there alighted at the door,
dust-covered and weary, old Eleazar and Jamieson, the doctor of St.
Genevieve. These were met by the master of Tallwoods himself.
"Listen now, Jamieson," said Dunwody, "You're here by my call. You
understand me, and understand the rules of your own profession.
Ask no questions here. Your patient has broken an arm--there has
been an accident. That's all you need to know, I think. Your job
is to get her well, as soon as you can. You're a doctor, not a
lawyer; that's all."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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