Most like he's a-watchin' the fire an'
doesn't know his Uncle Billy's hurted. Ye'll see 'im comin' quick
enough when he hears that, I'm thinkin'."
Mrs. Burnham had seated herself at the bedside with the fan in her
hand.
"I'll wait for him," she said; "perhaps he'll be here soon."
"I'll be lookin' afther the supper, thin," said Mrs. Maloney, "the
lad'll be hungry whin he comes," and she left the room.
Bachelor Billy lay very quiet, as if asleep, breathing regularly, his
face somewhat pale and his lips blue, but he had not the appearance of
one who is in danger.
A few minutes later there came a gentle knock at the street door. Mrs.
Burnham arose and opened it. Lawyer Goodlaw stood on the step. She
gave him as courteous greeting as though she had been under the roof
of her own mansion.
"I called at your home," he said, as he entered, "and, learning that
you had come here, I concluded to follow you."
He went up to the bed and looked at Bachelor Billy, bending over him
with kind scrutiny.
"I heard that the shock had affected him seriously," he said, "but he
does not appear to be greatly the worse for it; I think he'll come
through all right. He's an honest, warm-hearted man. I learned the
other day of a proposition that Sharpman made to him before the trial;
a tempting one to offer to a poor man, but he rejected it with scorn.
I'll tell you of it sometime; it shows forth the nobility of the man's
character."
Goodlaw had crossed the room and had taken a seat by the window.
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