"
In a few minutes more the scuffle ended shamefully enough for the
sottish squireen.
Tom stood over him for a minute, as he sat grovelling and groaning
among the long grass. "I may as well see that I have not killed him.
No, he will do as well as ever--which is not saying much.... Now,
sir! Go home quietly, and ask Mrs. Trebooze for a little rhubarb and
salvolatile. I'll call up in the course of to-morrow to see how you
are."
"I'll kill you, if I catch you!"
"As a man, I am open of course to be killed by any fair means; but as
a doctor, I am still bound to see after my patient's health." And
Tom bowed civilly, and walked back up the path to find Grace, after
washing face and hands in the brook.
He found her up at Tolchard's farm, trembling and thankful.
"I cannot do less than see Miss Harvey safe home."
Grace hesitated.
"Mrs. Tolchard, I am sure, will walk with us; it would be safer, in
case you felt faint again."
But Mrs. Tolchard would not come to save Grace's notions of propriety;
so Tom passed Grace's arm through his own. She offered to withdraw it.
"No; you will require it. You do not know yet how much you have gone
through. My fear is, that you will feel it all the more painfully when
the excitement is past. I shall send you up a cordial; and you must
promise me to take it. You owe me a little debt you know, to-day; you
must pay it by taking my medicines."
Grace looked up at him sidelong; for there was a playful tenderness
in his voice which was new to her, and which thrilled her through and
through.
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