She
turned to the gate.
From behind the shrubbery, Tom had heard all that passed between
them, and, meeting her as she entered, led the way to a side-
walk, unseen from the house.
"O Miss Marston! what is to be done?" he said. "This is a
terrible business! But I am so glad you have got her, poor girl!
I heard all you said to that brute, Wardour. Thank you, thank you
a thousand times, for taking her part. Indeed, you spoke but the
truth for her. Let me tell you all I know."
He had not much to tell, however, beyond what Mary knew already.
"She keeps calling out for you, Mr. Helmer," she said, when he
had ended.
"I will go with you. Come, come," he answered.
"You will leave a message for your mother?"
"Never mind my mother. She's good at finding out for herself."
"She ought to be told," said Mary; "but I can't stop to argue it
with you. Certainly your first duty is to Letty now. Oh, if
people only wouldn't hide things!"
"Come along," cried Tom, hurrying before her; "I will soon set
everything right."
"How shall we manage with the doctor?" said Mary, as they went.
"We can not do without him, for I am sure she is in danger."
"Oh, no!" said Tom. "She will be all right when she sees me. But
we will take the doctor on our way, and prepare him."
When they came to the doctor's house, Mary walked on, and Tom
told the doctor he had met Miss Marston on her way to him, and
had come instead: she wanted to let him know that Miss Lovel had
come to her quite unexpected that morning; that she was
delirious, and had apparently wandered from home under an attack
of brain-fever, or something of the sort.
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