CHAPTER XXVI.
FEVER VISIONS.
As the "Pallas" passed out of the canal upon the broad-breastedMediterranean, Jordan noticed the change in the motion of the ship, andsaid to Sedgwick: "Jim, old friend, we is back agin on ther waters wharmen first learned ter be sailors, aren't we?"
"Yes," said Sedgwick, "and in three days more I hope to gladden your eyeswith the faces of some dear friends."
"Yo's mighty kind, old friend," said the sick man; "but, Jim, I wantertell yo', if we should be diserpinted, yo'll find inside my trunk alittle trunk, and in thet yo'll find things all fixed ter tell yer whatter do. I 'ranged it when yo' war away, not knowin' what mount be.Remember one thing mo': everything's all right 'nd goin' ter be right.I'll get well 'nd help yo' ef I ken; ef I don't, yo'll make it easy,nuff, without me."
"Indeed I cannot," said Sedgwick. "You must brace up and get well, for Itell you, dear old Tom, that I can see better than you, and I have workedout a plan which is going to be a delight for you."
"Maybe so, Jim," said the sick man, and dozed off into a troubled sleep.The surgeon had been giving the patient some powerful medicine, and toldSedgwick it might make him flighty, but not to permit that to alarm him;that he thought he could promise to hold the life in his friend for a fewdays more.
Jordan awoke after an hour's sleep, and said: "Jim, I had a mighty quardream, sho. I seen all ther fleets ez hez ever sailed on these waters,havin' er grand review. It war ther ghosts ev ther ships, I reckon, butthey looked mighty real. I seen ther fleets ev Tyre with ther sails likecalico mustangs; I seen ther Persian fleets thet ther Greeks done up etMycale 'nd Salamis; I seen ther fitin' ships uv Rome, 'nd Carthage, 'ndEgypt, 'nd Venice, down ter Nelson's fite on ther Nile. O, but it war agrand persession! Thar war calls in a hundred tongues; thar war responsesin a hundred mo'; thar war decks filled with armed men, with helmets,spears 'nd shields; thar war singin' 'nd prayin' 'nd trumpet calls; tharwar ther rattle ev arms, ther ring ev steel, 'nd ther harsh blast evwar-horns, 'nd ther sounds changed from age to age, until thar came atlast ther roar uv hevy guns in regelar broadsides. All ther echoes uv allther battles uv all ther centeries war in my ears. It war grand; grandernor Chatternooga. Thar sea gave up its ded fur me, so fur ez this watergoes. History held befo' me all its pages, 'nd they wuz all 'luminated.Ez thet picter swept befo' my eyes, 'nd all thar clamors filled my ears,it war more thrillin' then anything yo' ever dreamed of. I ken har thercalls, 'nd ther replies, 'nd ther beatin' uv oars, tho' thar oars warbroken, 'nd ther calls growed still two 'nd three thousand year ago. Itwar beautiful, Jim, even ef it war all 'lusion ter ther eyes 'nd ears. Doyo' remember, yo' read me once 'Ther Midnight Review?' Why, Jim, thet warnuthin'. This uv mine war ther review ev all thar ages, er movin' picteruv ther world since befo' civilerzation begun."
Then the sick man dozed off into sleep again, and Sedgwick bathed hisface, and hung over him as a mother watches when the life of her childwavers between this world and the next.
After awhile Jordan awoke again. This time there was an eager, joyouslook in his wan face, and he searched the room around with a mostexpectant gaze.
Sedgwick bent over him, and said softly: "What is it, old friend?"
"Why, Jim, old man," said he, "that war most singler. I hearn _her_ voicea-prayin', hearn it jest ez plain 'nd natral ez ever I hearn it afore,prayin' thet I might git well. O, Jim, it war music, sho' nuff! andef eny angels war a-listenin', they'd intercede fur me jest outercourtesy."
"She was praying, dear friend," said Sedgwick. "I knew it, and her prayeris going to be answered. Her soul is trying to call to your soul to rouseitself, and you must heed the call."
"I'll try," said the sick man. "But don't worry, old friend; no matterwhat comes, it'll be all right. And, say, Jim, open my grip and put therhandkerchief you will see with dots upon it here next my heart."
For the twenty-four hours prior to reaching Naples Jordan was deliriousmost of the time, and did not sleep at all. Finally the surgeonadministered a powerful opiate, and when the ship came to anchor in thebeautiful bay, the invalid was in a profound sleep.
Browning was on the lookout for the ship, and was soon upon its deck. Heand Sedgwick clasped hands, and the first words of Sedgwick were: "Jack,are all well, and who is here?"
"All well," said Jack; "and your wife, my wife, and Mrs. Hazleton arewaiting at the hotel for you. And how is your friend?"
"Desperately ill, but I have hopes of him now," said Sedgwick.
The surgeon was appealed to, and he said it would be better to takeJordan ashore while yet he slept.
"I must first send a message that we are coming, and that he is asleepunder opiates, or we shall frighten those who are watching for us," saidSedgwick.
Captain McGregor volunteered to deliver the message as he was goingashore for a few minutes to report to the port officials that he broughtno cargo to be discharged, except the baggage of two passengers. Sedgwickthanked him, took his arm, led him aside, and said to him: "Captain, whenyou find my wife, tell her privately that she must keep the other ladiesfrom seeing us as we carry Jordan to the house. It would disturb andperhaps alarm them, for he is not only wan and poor, but the sleep uponhim looks like the twin brother of Death."
"I will see to it all," said the captain, and at once went ashore.
Grace saw him and recognized him as he alighted at the hotel, and ran tothe parlor to meet him alone. He explained to her the situation, and sheundertook to see that the injunction should be carried out.
"How long before they will come?" asked Grace.
"Perhaps thirty minutes," was the answer.
"Then excuse me, captain," said Grace, "but come back later. I want tothank you for all your kindness, and have a visit with you. But now Imust see to my two charges, that no mistake be made."
McGregor promised to return, shook hands, called Grace a "trump," andstrode away.
So soon as he had gone, Grace rang, and when a servant came she sent forthe manager of the hotel. To him she explained that in a few minutes asick man would be brought to the house; that his illness was not at allcontagious; that No. ---- of her apartments must be prepared for him, andhe must be carried there at once.
He asked if she was sure there was no danger to guests from the sick man,and she answered that he must know that no sick man could be landedwithout a permit from the port surgeon.
He bowed and promised that her wishes should be carried out.
Then she went to find Mrs. Browning, and told her to propose to Mrs.Hazleton to go for a drive to kill time, and to be sure to drive in theopposite direction from the bay; to hurry up and to be absent for anhour or an hour and a quarter. She had before explained to Rose the realsituation.
Rose complied. As the two ladies came from their rooms attired for theride, Rose said:
"Grace, come and join us; we are going to see Naples a little."
But Grace excused herself for that day, promising to go next morning.
She saw them driven away, and then took up her watch for the expectedvisitors.
She did not wait long. Four sailors were carrying the sick man; whileJack, the ship's surgeon, and Sedgwick were walking near. The manager metthem and directed the way to the room set aside for Jordan. Grace waitedin the upper hall for the procession. Sedgwick sprang to her, but she puta finger on her lips, caught his hand, then circled his neck with herarms, swiftly kissed him, and then whispered: "O darling, we must see nowto our poor dear sick friend," and tore herself away from him.
Jordan was put in bed still sleeping. Then Sedgwick, the surgeon andsailors came out. Sedgwick feed the sailors generously, though they didnot want to accept anything. He then presented Surgeon Craig to his wife.
Grace greeted him and said: "Doctor, when the sick man awakens, willthere be any danger to him if some one very dear to him shall be sittingby his couch?"
"None at all," was the answer. "That is the medicine that he needs. If wecould find the right friend, I believe it would cur
e him; if we cannot, Ifear the result, for it is a sorrow more than the fever, I believe, thatis killing him."
Half an hour later the ladies returned. Grace had Sedgwick take Browningfrom the sick room; then explained to Mrs. Hazleton that Mr. Jordan wasin the house very ill and sleeping, but that if she were strong enoughshe ought to be at his bedside when he awoke; asked her if she could bearthe ordeal, and if she thought she could, whether she would prefer to bealone or to have her with her.
"I am strong enough," was the answer, "and I would rather no one would benear."
Then Grace led her to the door and said: "Margaret, be brave, and keep inthought that you are going to restore your friend to health; and see,this room is next to mine. I shall be waiting there; if you need me, tapsoftly upon the partition door." Then she opened noiselessly the door,kissed her friend, waited until she passed into the room, closed thedoor, and then ran to her husband, climbed upon his knees, embraced andkissed him, and cried with joy.
It was two hours before any sign came from the adjoining room. Then thedoor was softly opened; Mrs. Hazleton came in without speaking, graspedSedgwick's hand, pointed to the room where Jordan lay, and said in awhisper: "He wants you." And as Sedgwick passed from the apartment, theover-wrought woman fell upon her knees, buried her face in the lap ofGrace, and said: "Dear friend, help me to thank God."
Later Sedgwick reported that as he approached the bed, Jordan smiled, andin a feeble voice said: "Jim, old friend, I'ze mighty weak, but don'tmind it; I shall pull through easy now. But if I don't, I'll be even;ther world's been thet kind ter me thet I'll keep thankin' God ter alleternity."
Then in his weakness he wept, but controlling himself at last, hecontinued: "I'ze too powerful weak ter make much noise, but if yo' thinka loud invercation is heard sooner nor a weak one, thank God fur me inyour loudest key."
Sedgwick took up his watch by Jordan for the night. He slept much of thenight, and smiles stole over his face as he slept, but he was awfullyprostrated with weakness.
After that, a regular order was prescribed. Sedgwick watched at night,and the others took turns by day.
Three nights after their arrival, the fever left Jordan. The doctor hadanticipated it, and had told Sedgwick he would remain with him. The feverleft him so utterly prostrated that it was all the doctor and Sedgwickcould do to keep life in him for two or three hours. But the faintnessfinally passed, and the patient dropped into a peaceful sleep; and thedoctor, with a sigh of relief, said: "The crisis is passed, Sedgwick. Heis going to pull through."
But it was a wearisome rally. It was several days before the anxiety wasover. It was a week after the coming of Sedgwick before Sedgwickexplained to Browning what he had done; how Jordan was an old gold miner;and that the reason he had not told Browning much of what he was doingwas because Jordan was the one to test the ore, and was anxious to go;he, Sedgwick, thought it was a shame to separate Jack and Rose; then hethought also if Jack knew he had gone to Africa he would worry over it.Then he told him of the mill, and finally that he had with him $100,000in bullion, the result of the first month's run of the mill; had fixedmatters so that the mill would be running right along, and that there wasore enough in the stopes to insure steady crushing for at least four orfive years to come.
"And what now?" asked Jack.
"Now your work must come in," said Sedgwick. "You and your wife must goto England as soon as Tom is a little better. In your own way, makearrangements to have announced, so that Hamlin, Jenvie and Stetson willsee it, that there is a good deal of movement in 'The Wedge of Gold';have substantially the same report, only differently worded, as thatcontained in the prospectus which you were caught on; let it be knownthrough what brokers the stock is being handled, and have copies of thereports in their hands, only fix the price at L1 per share. If the oldmen please to buy, let them have some of the stock. If they do not, wewill try to make them sorry that they did not buy when they could. By theway, have you still your hand on Emanuel, and can you depend upon him?"
"I think I can," said Jack.
"Well, then," said Sedgwick, "if no news of the mill has been received inEngland, and the conspirators think you are merely trying to unload someof your stock on the old report, may be if they can be handled right,they may be induced to sell some of the stock short. If they can, perhapswe can get back some of the money from them."
"I understand," said Jack, "and I believe I can work it."
"Especially if, when I get to England with the bullion, we can call ameeting and declare a dividend," said Sedgwick.
"I see," said Browning. "But, old boy, I wish you had let me help youwork this thing out. I do, by Jove."
Just then Grace and Rose came out on the veranda, where the old friendswere talking.
Rose bent over and put her arms around Jack's neck, and said: "Dear oldJack, do you know what day this is?"
"Why, little one?" asked Jack.
"O, you stupid!" said Rose.
"What is to-day?" asked Sedgwick.
"Another stupid!" said Rose. "Two beautiful and accomplished ladies go tochurch and give respectability to two of the wild tribe of the West, bymarrying them, and they forget it in a little year."
"It was this day year, on my soul," said Jack. "It was, by Jove."
"Come here, sweet," said Sedgwick to Grace. Then taking her in his armshe kissed her, and said: "My days have been turned into nights of late,else I would not have forgotten. Are you glad you are married, Grace?"
"Very glad," Grace whispered. "Are you glad?"
"Very," said Sedgwick, "even as is the ransomed soul when the symphoniesof Summer Land first give their enchantment to the spirit ear."
"I will tell you why I forgot, Rose," said Jack. "My life did not countuntil you became a part of myself. I am really but a year old, and you donot chide one-year-old kids for being forgetful."
"What glorified prevaricators these men are, Grace, are they not?" saidRose.
"O, Rose!" said Grace. "The mission of woman is to suffer and be devotedin her suffering, and how could we carry out our mission if all men weregood, and had good memories, and did not run away to Africa and Venezuelaand Australia, and come home with fevers, and--and--." Then she kissedSedgwick, and jumping up caught Rose by the arm, and said: "Let us punishthem by running away from them."
As they walked away Sedgwick watched them, and when they turned a cornerof the veranda, said: "Jack, would you give the year's happiness justpast for all the gold in Africa?"
"No, indeed," was the reply; "but you had the strength to leave yourbride on your marriage day for a chance of gaining a little of thatgold."
"O, no, old friend," said Sedgwick. "We had enough money left, but therewas a principle at stake. I went to vindicate that principle if I could."
"Pardon me, Jim," said Jack. "But you were stronger than I could havebeen. I could not have left my bride then. I had waited so long, that tohave parted then would have broken her heart and would have destroyedme."
"I realized all that, Jack," said his friend; "so did Grace, and we bothsympathized with you both, and decided that the cup of bitterness must beturned from you."
"Of course," said Jack. "What you did was jolly grand; what you havedone has been so splendid that I cannot express my thoughts of it yet;I can't, by Jove! And Gracie's part through all has been superb. I think,too, your sick friend has been pure gold through it all."
"Pure diamonds rather," said Sedgwick. "O Jack, you do not halfcomprehend the grandeur of that sterling man. When his heart was slowlyshriveling up in his breast, he forgot himself and his sorrow to cheerme, and when it was necessary to go for the machinery, he insisted that Ishould go, and he, of his own accord, went back to the depths of thatSouth Land wilderness and worked uncomplainingly for months. No granderman ever lived."
The Wedge of Gold Page 26
