Mr.Johnson was entertaining a dinner-party of attorneys when he was summoned from dessert by the announcement of a "lady who wanted to speak to him immediate and particular."He went into his study in not the best of tempers.There he found his client,Miss Wilkins,white and ghastly,standing by the fireplace,with her eyes fixed on the door.
"It is you,Miss Wilkins!I am very glad--""Dixon!"said she.It was all she could utter.
Mr.Johnson shook his head.
"Ah;that's a sad piece of business,and I'm afraid it has shortened your visit at Rome.""Is he--?""Ay,I'm afraid there's no doubt of his guilt.At any rate,the jury found him guilty,and--""And!"she repeated,quickly,sitting down,the better to hear the words that she knew were coming -"He is condemned to death.""When?"
"The Saturday but one after the Judges left the town,I suppose--it's the usual time.""Who tried him?""Judge Corbet;and,for a new judge,I must say I never knew one who got through his business so well.It was really as much as I could stand to hear him condemning the prisoner to death.Dixon was undoubtedly guilty,and he was as stubborn as could be--a sullen old fellow who would let no one help him through.I'm sure I did my best for him at Miss Monro's desire and for your sake.But he would furnish me with no particulars,help us to no evidence.I had the hardest work to keep him from confessing all before witnesses,who would have been bound to repeat it as evidence against him.Indeed,I never thought he would have pleaded 'Not Guilty.'I think it was only with a desire to justify himself in the eyes of some old Hamley acquaintances.Good God,Miss Wilkins!What's the matter?You're not fainting!"He rang the bell till the rope remained in his hands.
"Here,Esther!Jerry!Whoever you are,come quick!Miss Wilkins has fainted!Water!Wine!Tell Mrs.Johnson to come here directly!"Mrs.Johnson,a kind,motherly woman,who had been excluded from the "gentleman's dinner party,"and had devoted her time to superintending the dinner her husband had ordered,came in answer to his call for assistance,and found Ellinor lying back in her chair white and senseless.
"Bessy,Miss Wilkins has fainted;she has had a long journey,and is in a fidget about Dixon,the old fellow who was sentenced to be hung for that murder,you know.I can't stop here,I must go back to those men.You bring her round,and see her to bed.The blue room is empty since Horner left.She must stop here,and I'll see her in the morning.Take care of her,and keep her mind as easy as you can,will you,for she can do no good by fidgeting."And,knowing that he left Ellinor in good hands,and with plenty of assistance about her,he returned to his friends.
Ellinor came to herself before long.
"It was very foolish of me,but I could not help it,"said she,apologetically.
"No;to be sure not,dear.Here,drink this;it is some of Mr.
Johnson's best port wine that he has sent out on purpose for you.Or would you rather have some white soup--or what?We've had everything you could think of for dinner,and you've only to ask and have.And then you must go to bed,my dear--Mr.Johnson says you must;and there's a well-aired room,for Mr.Horner only left us this morning.""I must see Mr.Johnson again,please.""But indeed you must not.You must not worry your poor head with business now;and Johnson would only talk to you on business.No;go to bed,and sleep soundly,and then you'll get up quite bright and strong,and fit to talk about business.""I cannot sleep--I cannot rest till I have asked Mr.Johnson one or two more questions;indeed I cannot,"pleaded Ellinor.
Mrs.Johnson knew that her husband's orders on such occasions were peremptory,and that she should come in for a good conjugal scolding if,after what he had said,she ventured to send for him again.Yet Ellinor looked so entreating and wistful that she could hardly find in her heart to refuse her.A bright thought struck her.
"Here is pen and paper,my dear.Could you not write the questions you wanted to ask?and he'll just jot down the answers upon the same piece of paper.I'll send it in by Jerry.He has got friends to dinner with him,you see."Ellinor yielded.She sat,resting her weary head on her hand,and wondering what were the questions which would have come so readily to her tongue could she have been face to face with him.As it was,she only wrote this:
"How early can I see you to-morrow morning?Will you take all the necessary steps for my going to Dixon as soon as possible?Could Ibe admitted to him to-night?"The pencilled answers were:
"Eight o'clock.Yes.No."
"I suppose he knows best,"said Ellinor,sighing,as she read the last word."But it seems wicked in me to be going to bed--and he so near,in prison."When she rose up and stood,she felt the former dizziness return,and that reconciled her to seeking rest before she entered upon the duties which were becoming clearer before her,now that she knew all and was on the scene of action.Mrs.Johnson brought her white-wine whey instead of the tea she had asked for;and perhaps it was owing to this that she slept so soundly.
