. Potter's riderless
horse on the way. She soon discovered Mrs. Potter lying by the roadside,
groaning, and in great pain. Mrs. Robbins did not stop to ask any
questions; she saw that Mrs. Potter was badly hurt, and she knew that
assistance must be brought instantly. She therefore, galloped up the
drive to the Drysdale house, and hastily told them what had happened.
In less than three minutes, Mr. Drysdale had improvised a stretcher out
of a wicker settee and a mattress, and had summoned four stout negroes
to bring it after him, while he and his wife hurried out to the road.
There they found Mrs. Potter and Mrs. Robbins supporting her. She said
that she was in great pain, from severe contusion, and possible
dislocation of the knee joint, and that she had also sustained some
internal injuries. In a very few minutes, they had tenderly placed her
on the settee, and carried her up to the house. She was carefully put to
bed, and Mrs. Robbins remounted her horse to go for a physician. The
latter, on his arrival, said that he could hardly tell the extent of
Mrs. Potter's injuries at once, but he thought they would not confine
her to her bed for more than a week or two. She asked if she might be
removed to the hotel, as she did not wish to trespass on Mrs. Drysdale's
hospitality. Mrs. Drysdale, however, refused to hear of such a thing as
the removal of a sick person from her house, and she said that she
should enjoy Mrs. Potter's society enough to compensate for the slight
trouble. It was decided, therefore, that Mrs. Potter should remain until
she was able to go without assistance. She improved very rapidly, but
her knee seemed to pain her considerably, and she spent most of her time
in her room, or on a sofa under the veranda, whither her stout negro
nurse used to carry her.

[Illustration: "_She soon discovered Mrs. Potter lying by the road-side,
groaning and in great pain._"--Page 64.]

A few days afterwards, Mrs. Potter was lying awake in her room at about
seven o'clock in the morning. Mr. and Mrs. Drysdale's room was next to
hers, and the transom over the connecting door was open, so that
whatever was said in one room could be easily heard in the other. Mrs.
Potter heard Drysdale get up and open the blinds to let in the morning
sun. He had hardly done so ere he gave a sharp cry and sank into a
chair.

"What is the matter?" asked Mrs. Drysdale, in great alarm.

"Oh, nothing," he replied; "I don't feel well."

"I shou