He was unconscious when they
came to him, he was unconscious still. They took him to his room at
Mrs. Maloney's cottage, and put him in his bed. The doctor came soon,
and under his vigorous treatment the man lost that deathly pallor
about his face, but he did not yet recover consciousness. The doctor
said he would come out of it in time, and went away to see to the
others who had been injured.
The men who had brought the invalid were gone, and Mrs. Maloney was
sitting by him alone.
The storm had passed, the sun had come out just long enough to bid
a reassuring "good-night" to the lately frightened dwellers on the
earth, and was now dropping down behind the western hills.
A carriage stopped at Bachelor Billy's door and a moment later Mrs.
Burnham knocked and entered.
"I heard that he had suffered from the stroke," she said, looking at
the still form on the bed, "and I came to see him. Is he better?"
"He ain't come out of it yet, ma'am," responded Mrs. Maloney, "but
the doctor's been a-rubbin' of im' an' a-givin' 'im stimmylants, an'
he says it's all right he'll be in the course of a few hours. Will ye
have a chair, ma'am?"
"Thank you. I'll sit here by him a while with the fan and relieve you.
Where is Ralph?"
"He's not come yet, ma'am."
"Why, Mrs. Maloney, are you sure? Is it possible that anything has
happened to him?"
"To shpake the trut', ma'am, I'm a bit worried about 'im meself. But
they said to me partic'ler, as how ivery man o' thim got out o' the
mine befoor the carriage fell.
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