Benson, "when
he cannot move an inch without such suffering?"

"That's very true," the Doctor said. "I doubt if he could bear it. You
have no room below?"

"Put a bed in the library," said Charlotte Benson, and in ten minutes it
was done; the servants no longer sleepy when they had any definite order
to fulfill.

"In the meantime," said Richard to his sister, "send those two to bed,"
pointing out Henrietta and me.

"I've told them to go, but they won't," said Sophie, somewhat sharply.

Henrietta walked off, rather injured, but I would not go.

Mr. Langenau had another faint attack, and I was quite certain he would
die. Charlotte was making him breathe _sal volatile_ and Sophie ran to
rub his hands. The Doctor was busy at the light about something.

"The room is all ready," said the servant.

"Very well; now Mr. Richard, if you please," the Doctor said.

"Pauline," said Richard, coming to me as I stood at the foot of the
balusters, "You can't do any good. You'd better go up-stairs."

"Oh, Richard," I cried, "I think you're very cruel; I think you might
let me stay."

I suppose my wretchedness, and youthfulness, and folly softened him
again, and he said, very gently, "I don't mean to be unkind, but it is
best for you to go. You need not be so frightened: there isn't
any danger."

I moved slowly to obey him, but turned back and caught his hand and
whispered, "You won't let them hurt him, Richard?" and then ran up the
stairs. No doubt Richard thought I went to my own room; but I spent the
next hour on the landing-place, looking down into the hall.

It was rather a serious matter, getting Mr. Langenau even into the
library, and it was well they had not attempted his own room. Patrick
was called, and with his assistance and Richard's, he began to move
across the hall. But half-way to the library-door, he fainted dead away,
and Richard carried him and laid him on the bed, Patrick being worse
than useless, having lost his head, and the Doctor being a small man,
and only strong in science.

Pretty soon the library-door closed, and Sophie and Charlotte were
excluded. They walked about the hall, talking in low tones, and looking
anxious. Later, there came groaning from within the closed door, and
Charlotte Benson wrung her hands and listened. The groans continued for
a long while: the misery of hearing them! After a while they ceased:
then Richard opened the door, hastily, it seemed, and called "Sophie."

Sophie