IntheRectorythenightwasonelongagonyoffearandanxiety。
AdrienhadtakenMrs。Eganandherbabehomeinataxiassoonascircumstanceswouldwarrant，andthen，lesttheyshouldalarmtheirmother，theymadepretenseofretiringforthenight。
Afterseeingtheirmothersafelybestowed，theyslippeddownstairs，and，mufflingthetelephone，satwaitingfornews，slippingoutnowandthentothestreet，oneatatime，towatchtheglareofthefireintheskyandtolistenforthesoundsofriotingfromthetown。
AtlengthfromVictorcamenewsofthetragedy。Withwhiteningface，Adrientookthemessage。NotfornothinghadshewalkedthewardsinFrance。
“Listen，Victor，“shesaid，speakinginaquick，firmvoice。“Itisalmostimpossibletogetanurseintimeandquiteimpossibletogetoneskilledinthissortofcase。Comeforme。Ishallbereadyandshalltakecharge。TellDr。MeredithIamquitefree。“
“Allright。Losenotime。“
“Oh，whatisit，Adrien？“saidPatricia，wringingherhands。“IsitJack？OrVictor？“
Adriencaughtherbytheshoulders:“Patricia，Iwantyourhelp。
Notalk！Comewithme。IwilltellyouasIdress。“
Swiftly，withnohurryorflurry，Adrienchangedintoheruniform，packedherbag，givingPatriciameantimethestoryofthetragedywhichshehadheardoverthetelephone。
“AndtothinkitmighthavebeenJack，“saidPatricia，wringingherhands。“Oh，dear，dearAnnette。Can’tIhelpinsomeway，Adrien？“
“Patricia，listentome，child。Thefirstthingiskeepyourhead。
Youcanhelpmegreatly。Youwilltakechargehereandlater，perhaps，youcanhelpmeinotherways。Meantimeyoumustassumefullresponsibilityforthemallhere。Muchdependsonyou！“
Thegirlstoodgazingwithwide-openblueeyesathersister。Thenquietlysheanswered:
“I’lldomybest，Adrien。There’sVic。“Sherushedswiftlydownstairs。Suddenlyshestopped，steadiedherpace，andreceivedhimwithacalmthatsurprisedthatyoungmanbeyondmeasure。
“Adrienisquiteready，Vic，“shesaid。
“Topping，“saidVic。“Whatabricksheis！Dr。Meredithdidn’tknowwheretoturnforanurse。Thehospitalisfull。Everynurseisengaged。Somuchsickness，youknow，intown。Ah，heresheis。
Youarealightning-changeartist，Adrien。“
“HowisAnnette，Vic？Isshestillliving？“askedPatricia。
“Idon’tknow，“repliedVic，wonderingatthechangeinthegirlbeforehim。
“Darling，“saidAdrien，“Iwillletyouknowatonce。Ihatetoleaveyou。“
“Leaveme！“criedPatricia。“Nonsense，Adrien，Ishallbequiteallright。Only，“sheadded，claspingherhands，“letmeknowwhenyoucan。“
WhentheambulancearrivedattheMaitlandhome，Adrienwasatthedoor。Allwasinreadiness——hotwater，bandages，andeverythingneedfultothedoctor’shand。
McNishcarriedAnnetteuptotheroompreparedforher，laidherdownandstoodindumbgrieflookingdownuponher。
Adrientouchedhimonthearm。
“Come，“shesaid。And，takinghisarm，ledhimdownstairs。“Stayhere，“shesaid。“Iwillbringyouwordassoonaspossible。“
Anhourlatershereturned，andfoundhimsittingintheexactpositioninwhichshehadlefthim。Heapparentlyhadnotmovedhandorfoot。Atherentrancehelookedup，eager，voiceless。
“Sheisresting，“saidAdrien。“Thebulletisextracted。Ithadgonequitethroughtotheouterskin——acleanwound。“
“Howlong，“saidMcNish，passinghistongueoverhisdrylips，“howlongdoesthedoctorsay——“
“Thedoctorsaysnothing。Sheaskedforyou。“
McNishstartedupandwenttowardthedoor。
“Butyoucannotgotohernow。“
“Sheaskedforme？“saidMcNish。
“Yes。Butshemustbekeptquitequiet。Theveryleastexcitementmighthurther。“
“Hurther？“saidMcNish，andsatdownquietly。
Afteramoment’ssilence，hesaid:
“Youwillletmeseeher——oncemore——beforeshe——she——“Hepaused，hislipsquivering，hisgreatblueeyespitifullybeseechingher。
“Mr。McNish，“saidAdrien，“shemaynotdie。“
“MaGod！“hewhispered，fallingonhiskneesandcatchingherhandinbothofhis。“MaGod！Dinnaleetaeme。“
“Believeme，Iwouldnot，“saidAdrien，whilethegreateyesseemedtodragthetruthfromherverysoul。“Thedoctorsaysnothing，butIhaveseenmanycasesofbulletwounds，andIhavehope。“
“Hope，“hewhispered。“Hope！MaGod！hope！“Hishandswenttohisfaceandhisgreatframeshookwithsilentsobbing。
“Butyoumustbeveryquietandsteady。“
Immediatelyhewasonhisfeetandstandinglikeasoldieratattention。
“Ay，Awull，“hewhisperedeagerly。“Tellmewhattaedo？“
“Firstofall，“saidAdrien，“wemusthavesomethingtoeat。“
Ashudderpassedthroughhim。“Eat？“hesaid，asifhehadneverheardtheword。
“Yes，“saidAdrien。“Remember，youpromised。“
“Ay。A’lleat。“Likeamanunderamesmericspell，hewentthroughthemotionsofeating。Hismindwasfaraway，hiseyeseager，alert，foreveruponherface。
Whentheyhadfinishedtheirmeal，Adriensaid:
“Now，Mr。McNish，isthereanythingIcandoforyou？“
“Awouldliketosendwordtomamither，“hesaid。“Shedisnakenonything——aboot——abootAnnette——abootAnnettean’me，“afainttouchofredcomingslowlyupinhisgreyface。
“Ishallgetwordtoher。Iknowtheveryman。IshallphonetheReverendMurdoMatheson。“
“Ay，“saidMcNish，“heistheman。“
“Now，then，“saidAdrien，placinghiminaneasychair，“youmustrestthere。Remember，Iamkeepingwatch。“
Withthepromisethathewoulddohisbesttorest，shelefthimsittingboltuprightinhischair。
Towardmorning，Maitlandappeared，wearyandhaggard。Adriengreetedhimwithtendersolicitude；itwasalmostmaternalinitstone。
“Oh，Adrien，“saidMaitland，withagreatsightofrelief，“youdon’tknowhowgooditistoseeyouhere。Itbucksonetremendouslytofeelthatyouareonthisjob。“
“Ishallgetyousomebreakfastimmediately，“sheansweredinacalm，matter-of-factvoice。“Youaredoneout。Yourfatherhascomeinandhasgonetoliedown。McNishisinthelibrary。“
“AndAnnette？“saidMaitland。Hewasbitinghislipstokeepthemfromquivering。“Isshestill——“
“Sheisresting。Themaidiswatchingbesideher。DearJack，“sheutteredwithaquickrushofsympathy，“Iknowhowhardthisisforyou。ButIamnotwithouthopeforAnnette。“
Aquicklightleapedintohiseyes。“Hope，didyousay？Oh，thankthegoodLord。“Hisvoicebrokeandheturnedawayfromher。
“Youknow，“hesaid，comingback，“shegaveherlifeforme。Oh，Adrien，thinkofit！Shethrewherselfinthewayofdeathforme。
Shecoveredmewithherownbody。“Hesatdownsuddenlyasifalmostincollapse，andburiedhisheadinhisarms，strugglingforcontrol。
Adrienwenttohimandputherarmroundhisshoulder——shemighthavebeenhismother。“DearJack，“shesaid，“itwasawonderfulthingshedid。Godwillsurelysparehertoyou。“
Herosewearilyfromhischairandputhisarmsaroundher。
“Oh，Adrien，“hesaid，“itisgoodtohaveyouhere。Idoneed，weallneedyouso。“
Gentlysheputhisarmsawayfromher。“Andnow，“shesaidbriskly，“Iamgoingtotakechargeofyou，Jack，ofyouall，andyoumustobeyorders。“
“Onlygivemeachancetodoanythingforyou，“hesaid，“orforanyoneyoucarefor。“
TherewasapuzzledexpressiononAdrien’sfaceassheturnedaway。
Butsheaskednoexplanation。
“Myfirstorder，then，“shesaid，“isthis:youmusthaveyourbreakfastandthengotobedforanhourortwo。“
“Ishallbegladtobreakfast，butIhavealotofthingstodo。“
“Can’ttheywait？Andwon’tyoudothembetterafteragoodsleep？“
“Someofthemcan’twait，“hereplied。“IhavejustgotTonytobed。Thedoctorhassenthimtosleep。Hisfatherandmotherarewatchinghim。Oh，Adrien，thatisasadhome。Itwasaterribleexperienceforme。TonyImustseewhenhewakesandthepooroldfatherandmotherwillbeoverhereearly。Imustbereadyforthem。“
“Verywell，Jack，“saidAdrieninaprompt，businessliketone。
“Youhavetwoclearhoursforsleep。Youmustsleepforthesakeofothers，youunderstand。Ipromisetowakeyouingoodtime。“
“Andwhataboutyourself，Adrien？“
“Oh，thisismyjob，“shesaidlightly。“Ishallberelievedintheafternoon，thedoctorhaspromised。“
WhentheEmployers’DefenceCommitteemetnextmorningthereweremanyhaggardfacesamongitsmembers。Inthelargehalloutsidethecommitteeroomaconsiderablenumberofcitizens，youngandold，hadgatheredandwiththemtheMayor，conversinginvoicestingedwithvariousemotions，anxiety，pity，wrath，accordingtothetemperanddispositionofeach。
InthecommitteeroomMr。Farringtonwasinthechair。NosoonerhadthemeetingbeencalledtoorderthanMr。Maitlandarose，and，speakingunderdeepbutcontrolledfeeling，hesaid:
“Gentlemen，Ifeltsurenoneofuswouldwishtotransactordinarybusinessthismorning。Iwassure，too，thatintheverydistressingcircumstancesunderwhichwemeetyouwouldfeelasI
dotheneedofguidanceandhelp。IthereforetookthelibertyofinvitingthedeputationfromtheMinisterialAssociationwhichwaitedonustheotherdaytojoinusinourdeliberation。Mr。
Haynesisawayfromtown，butDr。TempletonandMr。Mathesonhavekindlyconsentedtobepresent。Theywillbehereinhalfanhour’stime。“
Ageneralandheartyapprovalofhisactionwasexpressed，afterwhichtheChairmaninvitedsuggestionsastothecoursetobepursued。Butnoonewasreadywithasuggestion。Somehowtheoutlookuponlifewasdifferentthismorning，andreadjustmentofvisionappearedtobenecessary。Nomanfelthimselfqualifiedtoofferadvice。
FromthisdilemmatheywererelievedbyaknockuponthedoorandtheMayorappeared。
“Gentlemen，“hesaid，“Ihavenowishtointrude，butagreatmanyofourcitizensareinthelargerhall。Theyareanxioustobeadviseduponthepresenttryingsituation。Ithasbeensuggestedthatyourcommitteemightjoinwithusinageneralpublicmeeting。“
Afterafewmoments’consideration，theMayor’spropositionwasacceptedandthecommitteeadjournedtothelargerhall，Mr。
FarringtonresigningthechairtoHisWorship，theMayor。
TheMayor’stonguewasnotsoreadythismorning。Heexplainedthecircumstancesofthemeetingandthankedthecommitteeforyieldingtohisrequest。Hewasreadytoreceiveanysuggestionsastowhatthenextstepshouldbe。
ThesilencewhichfollowedwasbrokenbyMr。McGinnis，whoaroseand，inavoicemuchshaken，heinquired:
“Cananyonetellusjustwhatisthelastwordconcerningtheyounggirlthismorning？“
Mr。Maitlandreplied:“BeforeIleftthehouse，thelastreportwasthatshewasrestingquietlyand，whilethedoctorwasnotabletoofferanyhopeofherrecovery，heventuredtosaythathedidnotquitedespair。AndthatfromDr。Meredith，asweknow，meanssomething。“
“ThankGodforthat，“saidMcGinnis，andleaninghisheaduponhishand，hesatwithhiseyesfixeduponthefloor。
AgaintheMayoraskedforsuggestions，butnooneintheaudienceappearedwillingtoassumetheresponsibilityofofferingguidance。
AtlengthRupertStillwellarose。Heapologisedforspeakinginthepresenceofoldermen，butsomethinghadtobedoneandheventuredtoofferonesuggestionatleast。
