CHAPTER XV.--LETTERS AND TELEGRAMS REACH COUSIN ALICIA.
Carol's sleep lasted two hours. Then he awoke, with something of hisold bright smile. Mrs. Mandeville was still watching beside him.
"Auntie, I have been asleep."
"Yes, darling, I know. I have been watching you. It was a beautifulsleep. I thought as I sat beside you of the words, 'He giveth Hisbeloved sleep.' I am sure you are better for it."
"Yes, Auntie, it was lovely, and my back doesn't hurt me quite so much.But I cannot move my legs yet."
"Do not try, dear."
"Did I dream it, Auntie, or were you reading _Science and Health_ tome?"
"It was not a dream, dear. Mr. Higgs came and brought the book, and hehas left it with me."
"I remember now, Auntie. Was it not nice of him to come? Has anymessage come yet from Cousin Alicia?"
"No, love; I cannot understand why the letters and telegrams are notforwarded to her."
"There is some reason, I know, Auntie. We shall understand by and by."She gave him some soda and milk, which was all the doctor would let himhave.
"I should like to see Rosebud, Auntie. Couldn't she come for a littlewhile?"
Mrs. Mandeville had already admitted one visitor against orders. Dareshe act on her own responsibility a second time? She began to realizehow much the doctor's fears of developments, which might or might notfollow, were influencing her, though, happily, she was not able toinfluence Carol. He had no fear.
"I think it must be almost Rosebud's bedtime, dear; but she shall comefor a few minutes."
After sending a message to the nursery for Rosebud, her eye fell on themedicine bottle. "Oh, Carol, I didn't give you your medicine thisafternoon. It was just time for it when Mr. Higgs came, and afterwardsyou were asleep. It is time again for it now. I see it must be freshmedicine; it is a different color."
"Auntie, Mr. Higgs was my doctor, this afternoon. The medicine hebrought sent me to sleep, and I do not ache quite so much. Must I takethis drug medicine as well?"
Mrs. Mandeville had poured out a dose, and now held the glass in herhand.
"You are right, Carol. I can see a decided improvement. I will not askyou to drink this."
She emptied the contents of the glass away. A few minutes afterwardsRosebud's sweet voice was piping at the door:
"Me's 'tome to see Tarol."
Mrs. Mandeville lifted her up to kiss Carol, very carefully guarding herfrom touching him anywhere.
"You must only kiss Carol, darling." The little arms were about to twinethemselves around him. "Me does 'ove 'ou, Tarol, so welly much."
The boy would have liked to hold her closely to him, but he could notraise an arm.
"It does make me so happy to see Rosebud again, Auntie. Perhapsto-morrow I shall be able to see all my cousins."
Mrs. Mandeville did not say, but she thought it would be many"to-morrows" before he would be strong enough to receive them all in hisroom.
"Now run back to the nursery, darling," she said to the wee girlie.
"Take a good-night kiss to Sylvia and Estelle, will you Rosebud?" Carolsaid. Then she had to be lifted up again to receive a kiss for"eberybody."
Mrs. Mandeville sat silent by the bedside for some time after Rosebudleft the room. Then she said in a very low, soft voice, "Do youremember, Carol, coming to my room one day when I lay prostrate with oneof my bad headaches?"
"Yes, Auntie; I remember quite well."
"I was very ungrateful, Carol, I would not let myself acknowledge it wasyour little prayer that took it away. Yet I knew it was, for I hadnever lost a headache like that before."
"Yes, Auntie, I knew Christian Science had helped you. But I thoughtyou did not understand."
She kissed him very tenderly. "I am not ungrateful any longer, dear. Iacknowledge the debt. Now I must not let you talk any more or Dr.Burton will insist upon having a trained nurse. He has suggested itseveral times."
"He couldn't keep you away from me, could he, Auntie?"
"I think he would find it a trifle difficult, dear."
"But I want you to go downstairs to dinner to-night, Auntie. Uncle willlike to have you, and Nurse will stay with me."
"Perhaps I will go then, for an hour, dear."
So, later on, to everyone's surprise Mrs. Mandeville appeared at thedinner table, and was so bright they all knew, without asking, thatCarol was improving, though he had not been pronounced out of danger.
Nurse was quietly making all the needful little preparations for thenight when Carol asked her to place the clock where he could see it ashe lay in bed.
"The nights seem so long when I cannot sleep, Nurse. I like to watchthe fingers of the clock, then I know how long it will be before thelight can peep through the curtains."
Nurse found a position where he could see it quite well, even though hecould not raise his head from the pillows. Then, standing over him, shesaid: "Dearie, you are in pain. Couldn't I ease your position just alittle?"
"No, Nurse, please don't touch me, the bruises seem so real. I ought tobe able to deny them, and I cannot."
"And would it make them better to deny them, Master Carol?"
"Oh, yes, Nurse. You are thinking the bruises are very sore andpainful, are you not?"
Yes, Nurse was decidedly dwelling in thought upon the pain the boy mustbe suffering from such a bruised condition.
"If you could think, Nurse, that there is no sensation in matter, thatthe pain is all in mind: in my mind and your mind, and Auntie's and thedoctor's. You are all thinking how I must be suffering. If onlysomeone would help me to deny it!"
"I wish I could, Master Carol."
But it was double Dutch to Nurse to try to understand that the pain wasin mind, and not in the poor bruised body.
It was half-past nine when she moved the time-piece so that Carol couldsee it, and he at once began to count how many hours it would be tillmorning. At ten o'clock Mrs. Mandeville returned to the room, followedby Dr. Burton. Nurse held up a warning finger as they entered: the boywas asleep.
"This is splendid! How long has he slept?" the doctor asked.
"It was just after half-past nine, sir. He seemed in great pain, Ithought there was no hope of sleep for him, and all at once he justdropped off without a word."
It was such a beautiful sleep, calm, peaceful, untroubled by fret ormoan. Mrs. Mandeville and the doctor watched beside him an hour; thenthe doctor left, and Mrs. Mandeville was persuaded to go to her own roomfor a night's rest, leaving Nurse in charge. They did not know, norcould they have understood had they known, how, far away, a woman, 'cladin the whole armour of God,' was fighting for him: fighting error with'the sword of the Spirit.'
Letters and telegrams had at last reached Cousin Alicia.