Doctor Jones' Picnic Part 14

So, with a sigh, he announced to his party that they would sail as soon after breakfast as possible. The Count looked very much distressed, but said not a word. After breakfast the Doctor and Count repaired to Feodora's room. She had rested beautifully all night, and received them with a glad, smiling welcome. But when Dr. Jones announced that he must sail within two or three hours, her face became exceedingly sorrowful, and she said to him so gently and simply that it touched the hearts of the men more than tears could have ever done:

"And do you know what goes with you in your beautiful Silver Cloud?"

"I do not know that I do. What do you mean?"

"My life."

This unexpected reply caused the Doctor a terrible shock.

"O no! my dear young lady, you are doing splendidly. Just carry out my written instructions and you will do as well without me as you would with me."

"Dr. Jones, I appreciate your situation, and know that you have no right to remain here for my sake, or anyone's else. I will not try to persuade you to stay; but I know that when you have gone, Hope will have accompanied you, and I shall certainly die."

"My G.o.d! My G.o.d! Dr. Jones, I cannot endure this," groaned the Count, and great tears coursed down his cheeks.

"Let me talk with you a few moments privately," said the Doctor.

The Count led the way to his office, and when they were seated the Doctor began:

"Count Icanovich, I cannot leave you, and yet you see my situation.

Professor Gray will not consent to an hour's unnecessary delay, and will hold me in strictest account to my Government."

"Cannot he be brought to consent to remain a few weeks?" asked the Count anxiously.

"Not all the gold in Russia would tempt him one moment," declared the Doctor emphatically.

"But you must not go and take my darling's life with you!" cried the Count desperately.

"Say 'shall not,' and you will hit it exactly," replied the little Doctor, winking shrewdly at the Count.

"What do you mean?"

"Have you no special power or authority in this section?"

"I have very great power if I choose to use it. Do I understand you to advise me to detain you by force?"

The Doctor grinned, gave a little Frenchy shrug of the shoulders, and said: "It would be treason to my country to advise you to do so, sir; but if you permit us to go, surely you cannot blame me for going. I very much prefer to stay, but only absolute force can prevent my going."

"I understand you perfectly, Doctor, and you need say no more," replied the Count, smiling grimly. "It had not occurred to me to treat my guests with such discourtesy; but you Americans have an adage, I have heard,--or is it English?--that a hint is as good as a kick. Well, you needn't kick me--unless I let you go. Now go up to my daughter and cheer her up with the news that you are forcibly detained, and will not sail till she is cured."

Here the two men clasped hands, threw open their mouths to their widest extent, and laughed long and--silently.

"But now run up to Feodora; she needs you badly, and I have some very important business to attend to."

So the Doctor again ascended to Feodora's room. He found there his wife and Mattie, all three in tears.

"Come, come, girls, wipe your eyes. Please leave me alone with Miss Feodora a few minutes. I will join you down stairs directly."

"And now," said he, "cheer right up. We are not going to leave you until your father consents. I have made the arrangement with him, but it must not be known to anyone else. You understand, do you not?"

"I do, Doctor, I do," she cried; "and I promise to get well as soon as I can, so as not to detain you any longer than necessary. I shall get well! I shall get well!" and she pressed his hand to her lips in the ecstacy of her joy.

"There, there," said he, a little sheepishly, withdrawing his hand, "go to sleep now, and come down to the drawing-room this afternoon."

He had been in the drawing-room but a moment or so when the Professor and Will rushed in, each very excited.

"Doctor!" cried Will, "what do you suppose the Count has done?"

"I don't know, I'm sure. What's the matter?"

"Well, by Jove, if he hasn't padlocked our cables, and very coolly informed us that we cannot sail until he gives us permission!"

"What can he possibly mean!" exclaimed the Doctor in well-a.s.sumed astonishment. "We must see about this matter. Where is he?"

"We left him at the globe," said the Professor. "I cannot comprehend the meaning of this. Let us go at once and see him."

"Surely he must be joking you," said the Doctor, as they walked rapidly toward Silver Cloud.

They found a group standing beneath the globe; and, as Will had said, every anchor and cable was heavily padlocked. Dr. Jones stepped briskly up to Count Icanovich and said with all the sharpness he could command: "What is the meaning of this, Sir Count? Why have you padlocked these cables?"

"Evidently I could have but one object; to prevent your casting them off."

"But why? What right have you to do so?"

"Simply the right of might. But come," said he, looking over the company, "let us talk this matter over together. Shall we return to the castle?"

"Suppose we ascend to the cabin," said the Doctor. "There we can talk without interruption."

So, two by two, they all ascended to the sittingroom of the cabin. The Doctor and Count were the first to go up.

"I shall make a great demonstration of anger, and may talk pretty sharply, Count, but you will know my meaning," said the former, as they landed in the engine-room.

"I perfectly understand; act your part, Doctor."

When they were all seated in the sittingroom, the Doctor immediately reiterated the question:

"What is the meaning of this high-handed proceeding, Count Icanovich?"

"It simply means that I cannot consent to let you go at present, Doctor Jones."

"And do you really mean to detain us by force?"

"I do, if necessary."

"Will you kindly tell us your object, and by what authority you dare to delay a United States' expedition? Do you not know that our Government will demand heavy reprisals for this action upon your part?"

"Allow me to answer your first question. When you landed among us a few days ago, you found us a despairing lot of invalids. We were simply waiting death as the only possible escape from our pains and distress.

The change that you have brought about by your medical skill and knowledge is known to you all, and I need not dwell upon it. Our hearts are bursting with grat.i.tude, and it pains me beyond measure to be thus obliged to use coercion; but my daughter's interests--her life--compel me to detain you. She declares that she cannot live if the Doctor leaves her, and I cannot and will not permit her only chance of recovery to thus fly away in the air. She is all I have on earth, and I swear that you shall stay until she consents to let you go."