assuring herself that
there was not the least cause for anxiety. She also told herself that
she had been a ninny once that morning, and that once was enough.
Nevertheless, she remained apprehensive, and her apprehensions
increased. It was Louis' unnatural manageableness that disturbed her.

And when, about three hours later, he murmured, "Old girl, I feel
pretty bad."

"I knew it," she said to herself.

His complaint was like a sudden thunderclap in her ears, after long
faint rumblings of a storm.

Towards tea-time she decided that she must send for the doctor again.
Louis indeed demanded the doctor. He said that he was very ill. His
bruised limbs and his damaged face caused him a certain amount of
pain. It was not, however, the pain that frightened him, but a general
and profound sensation of illness. He could describe no symptoms.
There were indeed no symptoms save the ebbing of vitality. He said he
had never in his life felt as he felt then. His appearance confirmed
the statement. The look of his eyes was tragic. His hands were
pale. His agonized voice was extremely distressing to listen to. The
bandages heightened the whole sinister effect. Dusk shadowed the room.
Rachel lit the gas and drew the blinds. But in a few moments Louis
complained of the light, and she had to lower the jet.

The sounds of the return of Mrs. Tams could be heard below. Mrs.
Tams had received instructions to bring the doctor back with her, but
Rachel's ear caught no sign of the doctor. She went out to the head
of the stairs. The doctor simply must be there. It was not conceivable
that when summoned he should be "out" twice in one day, but so it was.
Mrs. Tams, whispering darkly from the dim foot of the stairs, said
that Mrs. Yardley hoped that he would be in shortly, but could not be
sure.

"What am I to do?" thought Rachel. "This is a crisis. Everything
depends on me. What shall I do? Shall I send for another doctor?" She
decided to risk the chances and wait. It would be too absurd to have
two doctors in the house. What would people say of her and of Louis,
if the rumour ran that she had lost her head and filled the house with
doctors when the case had no real gravity? People would say that she
was very young and inexperienced, and a freshly married wife, and so
on. And Rachel hated to be thought young or freshly married. Besides,
another doctor might be "out" too. And further, the case could not be
truly serious. Of course, if afte