Julia was soon recovered; but the swoon of Edgerton was of much

longer duration. We sprinkled him with water, subjected him to

fanning and friction, and at length aroused him. His mind seemed

to wander at his first consciousness--he murmured incoherently.

One or two broken sentences, however, which he spoke, were not

without significance in my ears.

"Closer! closer! leave me not now--not yet."

I bent over him to catch the words. Kingsley, as if he feared the

utterance of anything more, pushed me away, and addressing Edgerton

sternly, asked him if he felt pain.

"What hurts you, Mr. Edgerton? Where is your pain?"

The harsh and very loud tones which he employed, had the effect

which I have no doubt he intended. The other came to complete

consciousness in a moment.

"Pain!" said he--"no! I feel no pain. I feel feeble only."

And he strove to rise from the ground as he spoke.

"Do not attempt it," said Kingsley--"you are not able. Wharton,

my good fellow, will you run back to town, and bring a carriage?"

"It will not need," said Edgerton, striving again to rise, and

staggering up with difficulty.

"It will need. You must not overtask yourself. The walk is a long

one before us."

Meantime, Wharton was already on his way. It was a tedious interval

which followed before his return with the carriage, which found

considerable difficulty in picking a track through the woods.

Julia, after recovery, had wandered off about a hundred yards from

the party. She betrayed no concern--no uneasiness--made no inquiries

after Edgerton, of whose condition she knew nothing--and, by this

very course, convinced me that she was conscious of too deep an

interest in his fate to trust her lips in referring to it. All that

she said to me was, that "she had been so terrified on seeing him

fall, that she did not even know that she had screamed."

"Natural enough!" said my demon. "Had she been able to have

controlled her utterance, she would have taken precious good care

to havo maintained the silence of the grave. But her feelings were

too strong for her policy."

And I took this reasoning for gospel.

The carriage came. Edgerton was put into it, but Julia positively

refused to ride. She insisted that she was perfectly equal to the

walk and walk she would. I was pleased with this determination,

but not willing to appear pleased. I expostulated with her even

angrily, but found her incorrigible. Chagrin and disappointment

were obvious enough on the face of William Edgerton.

I took my seat beside him, and left Kingsley and Wharton to

escort my wife home. We had scarcely got in motion before a rash

determination seized my mind.

"You must go home with me, Edgerton. It will not do, while you are

in this feeble state, to remain at a public tavern."




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