WYLDER'S HAJVD.
229
"Pardon me. At his suggestion I have sent for Sir
Francis Seddley, from town, and I hope he may arrive
early to-morrow morning." *
"Why, Stanley Lake may die to-day."
"He does not apprehend that. But it is necessary to
remove the bullet, and the operation will be critical, and
it is for that specially that Sir Francis is coming down."
"It is to take place to-morrow, and he'll die in that
operation. You know he'll die," said Dorcas, pale and
fierce.
"I assure you, Dorcas, I have been perfectly frank.
He looks upon poor Lake as in very great danger — but
that is all."
"What brutes you men are!" said Dorcas, with a
wild scorn in her look and accent, and her cheeks flushed
with passion. "You knew quite well last night there
was to be this wicked duel in the morning — and you —
a magistrate — a lord lieutenant — what are you ? — you
connived at this bloody conspiracy — and he — your own
cousin, Chelford — your cousin!"
Chelford looked at her very much amazed.
"Yes; you are worse than Sir Harry Bracton — for
you're no fool; and worse than that wicked old man,
Major Jackson — who shall never enter these doors again
— for he was employed — trusted in their brutal plans;
but you had no excuse and every opportunity — and you
have allowed your cousin Stanley to be murdered."
"You do me great injustice, Dorcas. I did not know,
or even suspect that a hostile meeting between poor Lake
and Bracton was thought of. I merely heard that there
had been some trifling altercation; and when, intending to
make peace between them, I alluded to it, just before we
left, Bracton said it was really nothing — quite blown
over — and that he could not recollect what either had