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
He led the way to the door of Josephine's room, and the doctor,
stained with travel as he was, entered. He was an old man, gray
and lean, consumed in his time by fevers and chills, in the
treatment of which he was perhaps more skilful than in surgery. He
approached the couch not unkindly and stood in preliminary
professional scrutiny of his patient. The face turned toward him,
framed in its dark roll of hair, caused him to start with surprise.
Even thus flushed in the fever of pain, it seemed to him no face
ever was more beautiful. Who was she? How came she here? In
spite of Dunwody's command many questions sprang to his own mind,
almost to his lips. Yet now he only gently took up the bandaged
arm.
"Pardon, my dear," he said quietly. "I must unwrap these bandages,
to see how well Eleazar has done his work--you know, these doctors
are jealous of each other! So now, easy, easy!"
He unrolled the rude bandages which, if not professionally applied,
at least had held their own. He examined the splints, hummed to
himself meantime.
"Fine!" he exclaimed. "Excellent! Now indeed I shall be jealous.
The old man has done a job as good as I could have done myself!
There was no need of my coming at all. But I'm glad I came, my
dear."
"But you aren't going away. Doctor--you will not go back!"
He pursed a lip as he gazed down over his steel bowed glasses. "I
ought to get back, my dear, because I have other patients, don't
you see, and it's a long ride. Why can't you let me go? You're
young and healthy as a wild deer. You're a perfectly splendid
girl. Why, you'll be out of this in a couple of weeks. How did
you happen to fall that way?"
[Illustration: Why can't you let me go?]
She nodded toward the window. "I fell out--there--I was
frightened."
"Yes, yes, of course--sleep walking, eh?"
Jamieson took snuff very vigorously. "Don't do it again. But
pshaw! If I were as young and strong as you are, I'd have my arm
broken twice a week, just for fun."
"Doctor, you're going!" she exclaimed. "But you must do something
for me--you must be my friend."
"Certainly, my dear, why not? But how can I help you? Dunwody's
pledged me to professional secrecy, you know." He grinned, "Not
that even Warv' Dunwody can run me very much."
He looked down at her, frowning, but at that moment turned to the
door as he heard Dunwody's step.
"How do you find the patient, Doctor?" asked Dunwody. Jamieson
moved a hand in cheerful gesture to his patient.
"Good-by, my dear. Just get well, now. I'm coming back, and then
we'll have a talk. Be good, now, and don't walk in your sleep any
more." He took Dunwody by the shoulder and led him out.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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