‘She looks very seriously hurt,—­I could almost fancy her dead,’ said Mrs. Thornton, a good deal alarmed.

‘It is only a fainting-fit.  She has spoken to me since.’  But all the blood in his body seemed to rush inwards to his heart as he spoke, and he absolutely trembled.

’Go and call Jane,—­she can find me the things I want; and do you go to your Irish people, who are crying and shouting as if they were mad with fright.’  He went.  He went away as if weights were tied to every limb that bore him from her.  He called Jane; he called his sister.  She should have all womanly care, all gentle tendance.  But every pulse beat in him as he remembered how she had come down and placed herself in foremost danger,—­could it be to save him?  At the time, he had pushed her aside, and spoken gruffly; he had seen nothing but the unnecessary danger she had placed herself in.  He went to his Irish people, with every nerve in his body thrilling at the thought of her, and found it difficult to understand enough of what they were saying to soothe and comfort away their fears.  There, they declared, they would not stop; they claimed to be sent back.  And so he had to think, and talk, and reason.

Mrs. Thornton bathed Margaret’s temples with eau de Cologne.  As the spirit touched the wound, which till then neither Mrs. Thornton nor Jane had perceived, Margaret opened her eyes; but it was evident she did not know where she was, nor who they were.  The dark circles deepened, the lips quivered and contracted, and she became insensible once more.

‘She has had a terrible blow,’ said Mrs. Thornton.  ’Is there any one who will go for a doctor?’

‘Not me, ma’am, if you please,’ said Jane, shrinking back.  ’Them rabble may be all about; I don’t think the cut is so deep, ma’am, as it looks.’

’I will not run the chance.  She was hurt in our house.  If you are a coward, Jane, I am not.  I will go.’

’Pray, ma’am, let me send one of the police.  There’s ever so many come up, and soldiers too.’

’And yet you’re afraid to go!  I will not have their time taken up with our errands.  They’ll have enough to do to catch some of the mob.  You will not be afraid to stop in this house,’ she asked contemptuously, ’and go on bathing Miss Hale’s forehead, shall you?  I shall not be ten minutes away.’

‘Couldn’t Hannah go, ma’am?’

‘Why Hannah?  Why any but you?  No, Jane, if you don’t go, I do.’

Mrs. Thornton went first to the room in which she had left Fanny stretched on the bed.  She started up as her mother entered.

’Oh, mamma, how you terrified me!  I thought you were a man that had got into the house.’

’Nonsense!  The men are all gone away.  There are soldiers all round the place, seeking for their work now it is too late.  Miss Hale is lying on the dining-room sofa badly hurt.  I am going for the doctor.’

‘Oh! don’t, mamma! they’ll murder you.’  She clung to her mother’s gown.  Mrs. Thornton wrenched it away with no gentle hand.