Theodore bent over him; he was still repeating wildly, "They'll get me, body and soul," when a cool hand was laid on his burning forehead, and a quiet, firm voice spoke the words: "Pliny, they _shall not_ get you. Do you understand? They _shall not_." And at that forlorn and apparently hopeless hour the young man's faith arose. Some voice from that inner world seemed to reach his ear, and repeat his own words with strong meaning: "No, they _shall_ not." The physicians, who had hoped a great deal from the coming of this young man, about whom the thoughts of their patient seemed to center, had not hoped in vain. He grew quieter and gradually sank into a sort of stupor, which, if it were not very encouraging, seemed less heart-rending than the wild restlessness of the other state. Then Theodore bethought himself again of the Hastings' family. No, they had not been sent for, everybody had thought about it, but nobody had acted. Mr. Roberts was not at home, and the two doctors had been busy about more necessary business. "It must be attended to immediately," Theodore said. "Which of you gentlemen is Mr. Hastings' family physician?" "Neither of us," answered the elder gentleman, laconically. "_I_ don't even know who his family physician is." "Dr. Armitage is," added the younger, from his position at the foot of the bed. "And he is out of town." "That's lucky," was the sententious comment of the old doctor. "Why?" asked Theodore, fixing earnest, searching eyes on his face. "Because Dr. Armitage uses rum, _rum_, RUM, everywhere and always: and ten drops of it would be as certain death to this young man, in his present state, as a dose of prussic acid would." "Who is the elder of those two physicians?" questioned Theodore of one of the waiters as they left the room together. "That's Dr. Arnold, just the greatest man in this city folks think, and the young fellow is Dr. Vincent, a student once, and now a partner of Dr. Arnold." Theodore mentally hoped, as he recognized the familiar names, that Dr. Armitage's absence would be indefinitely prolonged. He glanced into the room where Ben Phillips lay. He was insensible, and had been from the first. Two more physicians were in attendance there, but seemed to be doing nothing, and shook their heads very gravely in answer to Theodore's inquiring look. Mr. Phillips had been seen down town, near the freight office, and thither Jim had gone in search of him. There seemed to be nothing for Theodore but to go to Hastings' Hall himself. He shrank from it very much--nothing but messages of evil, or scenes of danger, seemed to connect him with this house. "They will learn to look on me as the very impersonation of evil tidings," he said, nervously, as he awaited admittance. His peremptory ring was promptly answered by John. "Was Mr. Hastings in?"