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lifted his head。
Her father！
His face was bedabbled with blood。 A wound； a frightful wound； was
visible on the side of his bare head； high above the ear。 He looked at her；
his eyes recognized her； before he fainted again in her arms。 His hands and
his clothes were covered with earth stains。 He must have traversed some
distance； in that dreadful condition he must have faltered and fallen more
than once before he reached the house。 His sister wiped the blood from his
face。 His daughter called on him frantically to forgive her before he died
the harmless； gentle； kind…hearted father； who had never said a hard word
to her！ The father whom she had deceived！
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The terrified servants hurried into the room。 Their appearance roused
their master from the extraordinary stupor that had seized him。 He was at
the window before the footman could get there。 The two lifted Sir Joseph
into the room； and laid him on the sofa。 Natalie knelt by him； supporting
his head。 Miss Lavinia stanched the flowing blood with her handkerchief。
The women…servants brought linen and cold water。 The man hurried away
for the doctor； who lived on the other side of the village。 Left alone again
with Turlington； Natalie noticed that his eyes were fixed in immovable
scrutiny on her father's head。 He never said a word。 He looked； looked；
looked at the wound。
The doctor arrived。 Before either the daughter or the sister of the
injured man could put the question； Turlington put it〃Will he live or
die？〃
The doctor's careful finger probed the wound。
〃Make your minds easy。 A little lower down； or in front； the blow
might have been serious。 As it is； there is no harm done。 Keep him quiet；
and he will be all right again in two or three days。〃
Hearing those welcome words； Natalie and her aunt sank on their
knees in silent gratitude。 After dressing the wound； the doctor looked
round for the master of the house。 Turlington； who had been so
breathlessly eager but a few minutes since； seemed to have lost all interest
in the case now。 He stood apart； at the window； looking out toward the
church…yard； thinking。 The questions which it was the doctor's duty to ask
were answered by the ladies。 The servants assisted in examining the
injured man's clothes： they discovered that his watch and purse were both
missing。 When it became necessary to carry him upstairs； it was the
footman who assisted the doctor。 The foot man's master； without a word of
explanation； walked out bare headed into the back garden； on the search；
as the doctor and the servants supposed； for some trace of the robber who
had attempted Sir Joseph's life。
His absence was hardly noticed at the time。 The difficulty of
conveying the wounded man to his room absorbed the attention of all the
persons present。
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Sir Joseph partially recovered his senses while they were taking him
up the steep and narrow stairs。 Carefully as they carried the patient； the
motion wrung a groan from him before they reached the top。 The bedroom
corridor； in the rambling； irregularly built house rose and fell on different
levels。 At the door of the first bedchamber the doctor asked a little
anxiously if that was the room。 No； there were three more stairs to go
down； and a corner to turn； before they could reach it。 The first room was
Natalie's。 She instantly offered it for her father's use。 The doctor （seeing
that it was the airiest as well as the nearest room） accepted the proposal。
Sir Joseph had been laid comfortably in his daughter's bed； the doctor had
just left them； with renewed assurances that they need feel no anxiety；
when they heard a heavy step below stairs。 Turlington had re…entered the
house。
（He had been looking； as they had supposed； for the ruffian who had
attacked Sir Joseph； with a motive； however； for the search at which it was
impossible for other persons to guess。 His own safety was now bound up
in the safety of Thomas Wildfang。 As soon as he was out of sight in the
darkness； he made straight for the malt…house。 The change of clothes was
there untouched； not a trace of his accomplice was to be seen。 Where else
to look for him it was impossible to tell。 Turlington had no alternative but
to go back to the house； and ascertain if suspicion had been aroused in his
absence。）
He had only to ascend the stairs； and to see； through the open door；
that Sir Joseph had been placed in his daughter's room。
〃What does this mean？〃 he asked； roughly。
Before it was possible to answer him the footman appeared with a
message。 The doctor had come back to the door to say that he would take
on himself the necessary duty of informing the constable of what had
happened； on his return to the village。 Turlington started and changed
color。 If Wildfang was found by others； and questioned in his employer's
absence； serious consequences might follow。 〃The constable is my
business；〃 said Turlington； hurriedly descending the stairs； 〃I'll go with the
doctor。〃 They heard him open the door below； then close it again （as if
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some sudden thought had struck him）； and call to the footman。 The house
was badly provided with servants' bedrooms。 The women…servants only
slept indoors。 The footman occupied a room over the stables。 Natalie and
her aunt heard Turlington dismiss the man for the night； an hour earlier
than usual at least。 His next proceeding was stranger still。 Looking
cautiously over the stairs； Natalie saw him lock all the doors on the
ground…floor and take out the keys。 When he went away； she heard him
lock the front door behind him。 Incredible as it seemed； there could be no
doubt of the factthe inmates of the house were imprisoned till he came
back。 What did it mean？
（It meant that Turlington's vengeance still remained to be wreaked on
the woman who had deceived him。 It meant that Sir Joseph's life still stood
between the man who had compassed his death and the money which the
man was resolved to have。 It meant that Richard Turlington was driven to
bay； and that the horror and the peril of the night were not at an end yet。）
Natalie and her aunt looked at each other across the bed on which Sir
Joseph lay。 He had fallen into a kind of doze； no enlightenment could
come to them from _him_。 They could only ask each other； with beating
hearts and baffled minds； what Richard's conduct meantthey could only
feel instinctively that some dreadful discovery was hanging over them。
The aunt was the calmer of the twothere was no secret weighing heavily
on _her_ conscience。 _She_ could feel the consolations of religion。 〃Our
dear one is spared to us； my love；〃 said the old lady； gently。 〃God has been
good to us。 We are in his hands。 If we know that； we know enough。〃
As she spoke there was a loud ring at the doorbell。 The women…
servants crowded into the bedroom in alarm。 Strong in numbers； and
encouraged by Nataliewho roused herself and led the way they
confronted the risk of opening the window and of venturing out on the
balcony which extended along that side of the house。 A man was dimly
visible below。 He called to them in thick； unsteady accents。 The servants
recognized him： he was the telegraphic messenger from the railway。 They
went down to speak to himand returned with a telegram which had been
pushed in under the door。 The distance from the station was considerable；
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the messenger had been 〃keeping Christmas〃 in more than one beer… shop
on his way to the house； and the delivery of the telegram had been delayed
for some hours。 It was addressed to Natali