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The landlord came out; and, hearing what our errand was, instantly consented to join us. "Take your gun," said Mr. Finch. Gootheridge took his gun. We hastened on to the house. "Were Mrs. Gootheridge or your daughter at Browndown today?" I asked. "Yes, ma'am they were both at Browndown. They finished up their work as usual and left the house more than an hour since."
If I had not been far too anxious to think of playing tricks, I should certainly have declared that it was needless, with such a tower of strength by my side, to disturb the landlord. I dare not assert that Mr. Finch actually detected the turn my thoughts were taking I can only declare that he did certainly shout for Gootheridge in a violent hurry, the moment we were in sight of the inn.
His sense of his own importance rose again, like the mercury in a thermometer when you put it into a warm bath. "Exactly what I was about to suggest," he said. "Gootheridge of the Gross Hands is a very worthy person for his station in life. Let us have Gootheridge, by all means. Don't be alarmed, Madame Pratolungo. We are all in the hands of Providence.
The two ruffians lounging against the wall had justified, horribly justified, my worst suspicions of them. On the arrival of Mrs. Gootheridge and her brother, we carried him up to his room. We laid him on the bed, with his neck-tie off, and his throat free, and the air blowing over him from the open window. He showed no sign yet of coming to his senses. But still the pulse went faintly on.
The instant she entered, she insisted on being near enough to the bed, to hear us, or to touch us, as we waited on the injured man. This was at once followed by her taking the place occupied by Mrs. Gootheridge at the bed-head, and herself bathing Oscar's face and forehead. She was even jealous of me, when she discovered that I was moistening the bandages on the wound.
My heart gave one great leap in me. I thought it was Nugent. A moment more brought the person in view. It was only Mr. Gootheridge of the village inn, on his way home. He stopped, and took off his hat. "Tired, ma'am?" he said. The uppermost idea in my mind found its way somehow, ill as I was, to expression on my lips in the form of a question addressed to the landlord.
There was no answer. There was only a dreadful silence. The suspense was more than I could endure. I pushed by the landlord, and turned the handle of the unlocked door. "Let me go first, ma'am," said Gootheridge. He pushed by me, in his turn. I followed him close. We entered the house, and called again. Again there was no answer.
"Most fortunate," he said, counting the slow, faint throbbing at the poor fellow's wrist "most fortunate that I was at home. What would you have done without me?" The next necessity was, of course, to send for the doctor, and to get help, in the meantime, to carry Oscar up-stairs to his bed. Gootheridge volunteered to borrow a horse, and to ride off for the doctor.
Gootheridge and her daughter had quitted the house at their usual hour, he had gone up to his room; had remained there some little time; and had then gone downstairs again. On approaching the workshop, he heard voices talking in whispers in the room. The idea instantly occurred to him that something was wrong.
He had discovered that it was his duty, as rector, to give the earliest information of the outrage at Browndown to the legal authorities. He went his way to the nearest magistrate. And I went mine leaving Oscar under the care of Mrs. Gootheridge and her brother back to the house. Mr.
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