'
'Where was the doctor?'
'In master's room; he blooded him three hours agone.'
I don't think that Milly was so frightened as I. My heart beat, and I was
trembling so that I could hardly get upstairs.
CHAPTER XLIV
_A FRIEND ARISES_
At the top of the great staircase I was glad to see the friendly face
of Mary Quince, who stood, candle in hand, greeting us with many little
courtesies, and a very haggard and pallid smile.
'Very welcome, Miss, hoping you are very well.'
'All well, and you are well, Mary? and oh! tell us quickly how is Uncle
Silas?'
'We thought he was gone, Miss, this morning, but doing fairly now; doctor
says in a trance like. I was helping old Wyat most of the day, and was
there when doctor blooded him, an' he spoke at last; but he must be awful
weak, he took a deal o' blood from his arm, Miss; I held the basin.'
'And he's better--decidedly better?' I asked.
'Well, he's better, doctor says; he talked some, and doctor says if he goes
off asleep again, and begins a-snoring like he did before, we're to loose
the bandage, and let him bleed till he comes to his self again; which, it
seems to me and Wyat, is the same thing a'most as saying he's to be killed
off-hand, for I don't believe he has a drop to spare, as you'll say
likewise, Miss, if you'll please look in the basin.
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