Family Pride - Page 277/396

Completely befogged with regard to a part of the play enacting before her eyes, Mrs. Cameron exclaimed: "Dr. Grant, of Silverton! I have the utmost confidence in his skill. Still, it may be well for Dr. Craig to see her. I think that is his ring."

The city and country physicians agreed exactly with regard to Katy's illness, or rather the city physician bowed in acquiescence when Morris said to him that the fever raging so high had perhaps been induced by natural causes, but was greatly aggravated by some sudden shock to the nervous system. This was before Mrs. Cameron came up, but it was repeated in her presence by Dr. Craig, who thus left the impression that the idea had originated with himself rather than with Dr. Grant, as perhaps he thought it had. He was at first inclined to patronize the country doctor, but soon found that he had reckoned without his host. Morris knew more of Katy and quite as much of medicine as he did himself, and when Mrs. Cameron begged him to stay longer he answered that her son's wife was as safe in his brother physician's hands as she could be in his.

"Indeed, she's safer," he added, "for Dr. Grant can watch her every moment, and I leave her in his care, calling again of course in the morning."

Mrs. Cameron was very glad that Dr. Grant was there, she said. It was surely Providence who sent him to New York on that particular day, and Morris shivered as he wondered if it were wrong not to explain the whole to her.

"Perhaps it is best she should not know of Katy's journey to Silverton," he thought, and merely bowing to her remarks, he turned to Katy, who was growing very restless and moaning as if in pain.

"It hurts," she said, turning her head from side to side; "I am lying on Genevra."

With a sudden start Mrs. Cameron drew nearer, but when she remembered the little grave at Silverton, she said: "It's the baby she's talking about."

Morris knew better, and as Katy still continued to move her head as if something were really hurting her, he passed his hand under her pillow and drew out the picture which she had held as long as her consciousness remained. He knew it was Genevra's picture, and was about to lay it away when the cover dropped from his hand and his eye fell upon a face which was not new to him, while an involuntary exclamation of surprise broke from his lips as Katy's assertion that Genevra was living was thus fully confirmed. Marian had not changed past recognition since her early girlhood, and Morris knew the likeness at once, pitying Katy more than he had pitied her yet, as he remembered how closely Marian Hazelton had been interwoven with her married life and the life of the little child which had borne her name.