"Drake!" he said, in a whisper. "You here?"
Drake nodded.
"Yes; it's a strange meeting, Dick, isn't it? But we have been near each
other--though we didn't know it--for some days past. You are 'the young
engineer,' and I----"
He shrugged his shoulders, and Dick leaped at the truth.
"You are Lord Angleford?" he said.
Drake nodded.
"Yes. I'll explain presently. Just now all we can think of is this poor
fellow."
"Poor chap!" said Dick sadly. "If I'd only come up a minute or two
sooner--I'd gone down to the village for some 'bacca. Who'd have thought
he was such a plucky one. For he's not strong, Drake, you see."
Drake nodded.
"No," he said; "but it is not always the strongest who are the bravest.
Who is that?" for there came a knock at the door.
Dick went and opened it. Nell stood there, white to the lips, but calm
and composed. He answered the question in her eyes.
"All right, Nell! Don't be frightened. He'll pull through; won't he,
Drake?"
She turned her eyes upon him, and he met their appeal steadily.
"I hope so," he said.
She stole into the room, and, with her hands clasped, looked down at
Falconer in silence.
"I hope so," repeated Drake emphatically. "There are not so many brave
men that the world can afford to lose one."
She raised her eyes to his face quickly.
"Yes," he said, "he was unarmed and knew that it was a struggle for
life, that the man was desperate and would stick at nothing. It was the
pluckiest thing I have ever seen." Then he remembered how she had sprung
forward to strike up the burglar's arm, and he added, under his breath,
"almost the pluckiest."
The crimson dyed her face for a moment, and her eyes dropped under his
regard; but she said nothing, and presently she stole out again.
It seemed an age to the two men before the doctor arrived, though the
time was really short; it seemed another age while he made his
examination. He met Drake's questioning gaze with the grave evasion
which comes so naturally to the smallest of country practitioners.
"A nasty wound, my lord!" he said. "But I've known men recover from a
worse one. Unfortunately, he is not a strong man. This poor fellow has
known the meaning of privation." He touched the thin arm, and pointed to
the wasted face. "They tell their own story! Now, if it were you, my
lord----" he smiled significantly.