" He moved
restlessly and the nurse soothed him.
Meredith rose and left the room with a noiseless step. He went out to the
stars again, and looked to them to check the storm of rage and sorrow that
buffeted his bosom. He understood lynching, now the thing was home to him,
and his feeling was no inspiration of a fear lest the law miscarry; it was
the itch to get his own hand on the rope. Horner came out presently, and
whispered a long, broad, profound curse upon the men of the Cross-Roads,
and Meredith's gratitude to him was keen. Barrett went away, soon after,
leaving the cab for the gentlemen from Plattville. Meredith had a strange,
unreasonable desire to kick Barrett, possibly for his sergeant's sake.
Warren Smith sat in the ward with the nurse and Gay, and the room was very
quiet. It was a long vigil.
They were only waiting.
At five o'clock he was still alive--just that, Smith came out to say.
Meredith sent his driver with a telegram to Helen which would give
Plattville the news that Harkless was found and was not yet gone from
them. Homer took the cab and left for the station; there was a train, and
there were things for him to do in Carlow. At noon Meredith sent a second
telegram to Helen, as barren of detail as the first: he was alive--was a
little improved. This telegram did not reach her, for she was on the way
to Rouen, and half of the population of Carlow--at least, so it appeared
to the unhappy conductor of the accommodation--was with her.
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