"A woman!" gasped the gentleman. "O God bless you--thank heaven! Say
she isn't dead--you'll want water--not a drop for miles,
dammit--brandy--not a spot--oh, curse and confound it--say she isn't
dead!"
"She's not!" said Diana briefly.
"God bless you again! Tell me what to do?"
"Go away and leave her to me."
"But how can I leave her?"
"I must loose her stays--you'll find a brook t' other side the
hedge--in your hat!"
Scarcely were the words uttered than the gentleman was over the hedge
and as quickly back again, slopping water right and left from his
modish, curly-brimmed hat in his frantic haste; this he set down at
Diana's command and, turning away, began to stride up and down,
muttering agitated anathemas upon himself and scowling ferociously at
the two horses, which I had taken the opportunity to hitch to an
adjacent gatepost.
At last in his restless tramping he seemed to become aware of me where
I sat, for I had climbed back into the cart, and he now addressed me,
though with his anxious gaze bent towards the unconscious form of his
companion.
"Good God, man--this is pure damnation! If you can't do anything,
since I can't do anything, can't you suggest something I can do?"
"Only that you strive for a little patience, sir."
At this he turned to stare at me, then his grey eyes widened suddenly,
and he leapt at me with both hands outstretched.
"Vereker!" he cried. "Peregrine--Perry, by all that's wonderful.
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