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"Let me look at it," he said. Turning the needle over in his palm, he examined it carefully. "So near and yet so far," he remarked. "There are a good many people who would pay a high price for the little risk and the dead certainty. You wouldn't, perhaps, tell us what the poison is, Mr. Mappin? We are all very reliable people here, who have no enemies, and who want to keep their friends alive.
If I could have hospitals like Glencader and hospital nurses like Mrs. Byng and Al'mah and yourself, I'd have few regrets at the end of the year. That was an exciting time at Glencader." Stafford nodded, but said nothing. Presently, after some reference to the disaster at the mine at Glencader and to Stafford's and Byng's bravery, Mr. Mappin said. "I was shocked to hear of Mr. Fellowes' death.
Engaged on these errands, and a host of intervening lesser exploits in the ward, I had to cultivate an unwonted fleetness of foot. I flew. So did the time. Almost immediately, as it seemed to me, I was bidden to serve afternoon tea to our patients. Then an involved struggle with a patient who had to be lifted from a bath-chair into bed. Mappin.
Presently he rang for Gleg. "Show Mr. Mappin in," he said. In a moment the great surgeon was seated, looking reflectively round him. Soon, however, he said brusquely, "I hope your friend Jigger is going on all right?" "Yes, yes, thanks to you." "No, no, Mr. Stafford, thanks to you and Mrs. Byng chiefly. It was care and nursing that did it.
Whatever the means of Fellowes' death, by whomsoever caused, or by no one, further inquiry could only result in revelations hurtful to some one. As Mr. Mappin had surmised, there was more than one woman, there may have been a dozen, of course but chance might just pitch on the one whom investigation would injure most.
In a flash Stafford was beside him, and laid a hand upon the blotter, saying with a smile, of the kind which had so far done its work "No, no, my friend, I will not take a tonic. It's only a good sleep I want; and I'll get that to-night. But I give my word, if I'm not all right to-morrow, if I don't sleep, I'll send to you and take your tonic gladly." "You promise?" "I promise, my dear Mappin."
Was Mr. Mappin there?" "There was no reason why he should be there." "What witnesses were called?" "Myself and the porter of Fellowes' apartments, his banker, his doctor " "And Al'mah?" she asked, obliquely. He did not reply at once, but regarded her inquiringly. "You needn't be afraid to speak about Al'mah," she continued. "I saw something queer at Glencader.
Again Stafford caught the surgeon's arm with a friendly little grip. Suddenly, however, Mr. Mappin became aware that Stafford had turned desperately white and worn. He had noticed this spent condition when he first came in, but his eyes now rediscovered it. He regarded Stafford with concern. "Mr.
"That is where our superior powers of self-deception come in," said the niece; "we are able to live our unreal, stupid little lives on our particular Mappin terrace, and persuade ourselves that we really are untrammelled men and women leading a reasonable existence in a reasonable sphere."
It was long after my own supper hour had come and gone that I was able to say au revoir to the ward. The cleansing of the grease-encrusted meat-tin was a travail which alone promised to last half the night. But at last some sort of conclusion was reached. Mrs. Mappin put on her bonnet. The night orderly, who was to relieve me, was overdue.
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