e crowd
about him in a moment. It was the last struggle that had done the
mischief, when the lion, startled by the shout of the crowd, had turned
on him again, and there had been a most narrow escape of a dying bite,
such as would probably have crushed his hand itself beyond all remedy;
and, as it was, one could not but fear he was dreadfully hurt, when the
pain came in accesses of violence several times in the short distance
to Dr. Kingston's door.

No, Dr. Kingston was not at home; nor would be in for some time; but
while we were thinking what to do, a young man came hastily up, saying
"I am Dr. Kingston's partner; can I do anything?"

Harold sprang out on this, forbidding Eustace to follow him, but
permitting Dermot; and Mrs. Kingston, an old acquaintance of mine, came
and invited us all to her drawing-room, lamenting greatly her husband's
absence, and hoping that Mr. Yolland, his new partner, would be able to
supply his place. The young man had very high testimonials and an
excellent education. She was evidently exercised between her own
distrust of the assistant and fear of disparaging him. Seeing how much
shaken we were, she sent for wine, and I was surprised to see Eustace
take some almost furtively, but his little sister, though still
sobbing, glared out from behind the knuckles she was rubbing into her
eyes, and exclaimed, "Eustace, I shall tell Harry."

"Hold your tongue," said Eustace, petulantly; "Harry has nothing to do
with it."

Mrs. Kingston looked amazed. I set to work to talk them both down, and
must have given a very wild, nervous account of the disaster. At last
Dermot opened the door for Harry, who came in, looking very pale, with
one hand entirely covered and in a sling, the other bound up all but
the thumb and forefinger. To our anxious inquiries, he replied that
the pain was much better now, and he should soon be all right; and
then, on being further pressed, admitted that the little finger had
been so much crushed that it had been taken off from the first joint,
the other three fingers had been broken and were in splints, and the
right hand was only torn and scratched. Mrs. Kingston exclaimed at
this that Mr. Yolland should have waited for the doctor to venture on
such an operation, but both Dermot and Harold assured her that he could
not have waited, and also that it could not have been more skilfully
done, both of which assurances she must have heard with doubts as to
the competenc