He says Jock has been more than
a brother to him, and that he owes all that he is, and all that he
has, to him and Mother Carey, and that even-—if-—if he were too late,
he should save her from coming home alone. You think he was right,
mamma?"
"Right indeed, and I am thankful that my Sydney was unselfish, and
did not try to keep him back."
"O mamma, I could never have looked him in the face again if I had
hindered him! And so we went up to London, and luckily Dr. Medlicott
was at home, and he was very eager that John should go. He says he
does not think it will be too late, and they talked it over, and got
some medicines, and then John let me come down to Liverpool with him
and see him on board, and we telegraphed the last thing to Mrs.
Brownlow, so that it might be too late for her to stop him."
While that message was rushing on its way beneath the Atlantic it was
the early morning of the ebb tide of the fever, and the patient was
resting almost doubled over with his head on pillows before him,
either slumber or exhaustion, so still, that his mother had yielded
to urgent persuasion, and lain down in the next room to sleep in the
dreamless repose of the overworn watcher.
For over him leant a sturdy, dark-browed, dark-bearded figure, to
whom she had ventured to entrust him.
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