"But it must not be imagined that no practice fell to his share, for the poor flocked to him in spite of the ill success that attended his efforts in the first year of his coming. In fact, Tomkins made great capital out of the death of a fever patient whom Mr Ross was called in to attend, when the young surgeon had told his wife that he was convinced that no human power could have saved the stricken one.

However, people would talk and shake their heads, and say what a pity it was such an inexperienced person had been called in, _et cetera_; and it was not until the young surgeon had performed several clever cures in advice gratis cases that the poorer people favoured him with their patronage, giving him much trouble, few thanks, and seldom any pay.

"`Look at that,' said John Ross one day, as two nurses pa.s.sed the window in charge of a perambulator fitted with an awning, and containing a fine-looking boy of some twelve months old--`look at that,' he said bitterly. `Why, I should think what is spent upon that child in nurses and dress would be a comfortable income for us. It is enough to make any man envious to see how unequally money is distributed. There are those people, the Westerns, rolling in wealth, and without labour to gain it, while the more I fight and struggle, the worse off I am. What do they know of trouble? Hetty, my girl,' he cried pa.s.sionately, `I wish I had never married you, to drag you down to this poverty!'

"`Hush! oh, hush, darling!' sobbed Mrs Ross, the tears streaming down her cheeks. `Have we not been happy through it all, and have I ever seemed to mind? Be patient, and times will brighten; but please-- please--don't--speak--'

Mrs Ross could say no more, for her sobs choked her utterance. Her husband's words had seemed to cut her to the heart, for of late he had grown more bitter and less hopeful. Instead of flying to his books for comfort, and studying hard, he had grown moody and peevish in spite of her loving attentions; and many a night while he slept had her pillow been wet with tears as she vainly tried to pierce the cloud of gloom that seemed to close them in on every side.

"His wife's tears were not without effect, and the next moment John Ross was kissing them away, vowing that he would be hopeful and contented, fighting out the battle till the very last; for, as he said, the tide must turn some time.

"`What a bear I am, darling,' he cried, `to mope and growl as I do, envying, hating, and maliciously regarding my neighbours because they make money and I don't. There, never mind! I'll make old Tomkins want me for partner yet, and--there! if you haven't sent out the breakfast things again, and I'm as hungry as a hunter.'

"It was of no use, John Ross would not own to its being pretence. He insisted upon the breakfast things being brought back, and ate bread-and-b.u.t.ter, and drank weak tea, insisting at the same time upon his wife partaking of the piece of toast he made for her himself.

"An hour after he was making notes, and eagerly studying up a case reported in the medical journals, now shaking his head and calling his wife's attention to what he considered fallacies, or great blunders, and pointing out what would have been his course under the circ.u.mstances-- not dwelling upon it with any show of a.s.sumption, but proving all he said step by step from the experience of those learned in the great science of medicine.

"And in spite of her aching heart, and their poverty, Mrs Ross's eye lighted up, and her nostrils dilated with pride as, letting her needlework fall in her lap, she gazed upon the high, slightly bald forehead, and deep thoughtful eye of her husband, as wrapped in the case before him, his whole being seemed to dilate, and he in fancy performed some great cure.

"`If he had had opportunity,' she thought to herself, and then sighing resumed her task, one that betokened a change at hand in their little household, with helplessness and expense attendant, and she sighed again, but only to check herself, and look anxiously to see whether her husband had noticed her despondency.

"But John Ross was too busily intent upon his studies, toiling on eagerly till called to visit some unremunerative patient, from whom he returned weary and worn to renew his work.

"Work was his only resource; and but for his constant application, life would have been almost a burden, from the hope deferred that maketh the heart sick.

"Two months had glided by, and their affairs were at such a low ebb that John Ross would have given way utterly to despair, had he been alone.

But he dared not, for now it was his turn to solace and comfort.

Complaining for so long of his poverty, he had been unaware that it had pleased heaven to make him rich--a wealth that in his blindness he could not see, until he had thrown himself sobbing upon his knees by his wife's bedside to pray forgiveness for his murmurings, and that heaven would be merciful and not take away the spirit then flickering, hovering, as it were, between this world and that which is to come.

"For there had been a bitter struggle in that little poorly-furnished chamber, and more than once John Ross had felt that he would be left to fight the battle alone. But the change that came had been for the better, and now, pale and tottering when she tried to cross the room, Hetty Ross was once more down, able no longer to give consolation, but glad to take it herself.

"Her face was very, very pale, but at times it would light up with such a smile of ineffable joy, that her husband would forget his studies, and sit breathlessly watching the young mother's countenance, as in the pride of first maternity, her gaze lingered where, in its cradle, there was something whose breathing gently raised and let fall the warm coverlid. Then the parents' eyes would meet, and with the husband at the wife's feet, all worldly trouble would be forgotten in that happiness given to all that are true of heart.

"Another month glided by, and by some means or other John Ross still struggled on, even hopefully, for his wife had grown almost strong again, and her strength gave energy to him in his efforts.

"They were seated at breakfast once more, when Mrs Ross spoke.

"`Such sad news, dear.'

"`What is it?' said her husband, not raising his eyes from the paper.

"`You remember saying that the Westerns, with their wealth, did not know care?'

"`Ah--yes! one says plenty of stupid and bitter things when in trouble,'

said John Ross. `But what is it?'

"`Jane tells me their little boy is dying.'

"`Never!' exclaimed Mr Ross, starting. `What, that fine little fellow that looked heartiest of the hearty?'

"`I fear so. Jane heard it from one of the nurses, who says the Westerns are almost heart-broken, and the poor woman sobbed herself as she spoke of it. It seems that they wanted to have more advice, but Mr Tomkins said it was not necessary, and now it seems it is too late.'

"`Poor little chap!' exclaimed Mr Ross, dropping his paper, and gazing towards the cradle where his own child lay, by whose side Mrs Ross was now kneeling, to a.s.sure herself of its safety. `Poor little chap!' he muttered again, and then aloud, `G.o.d forgive me, Hetty! What blind fools we are! and I was envious of those people.'

"Father and mother were bending over the cradle, when there came the rattle of wheels, a horse was dragged upon his haunches at the gate, the bell rang furiously, and as Mr Ross hurriedly opened the door, the rich Mr Western seized him by both hands.

"`For mercy's sake, Mr Ross, pray come! My poor boy's dying--half murdered by that man,' and before he could recover from his surprise the surgeon was hurried hatless into a brougham, thrust in almost by the excited father, the horse was flogged, and John Ross just had time to wave an adieu to his wife at the window before the carriage was turned, and they were going at full gallop through the town towards the Hall.

"On their way Mr Ross learned all the particulars he could respecting the child's illness; how the family attendant had treated it as of little moment, and the child had gradually sunk, till as he finished his account Mr Western exclaimed, in a voice choked with emotion.

"`And now I fear we are too late. Oh, that I had come last night!'

"`Calm yourself,' said Mr Ross. `It may be that I could do no more than your regular attendant.'

"`Don't tell me, sir!' exclaimed the father angrily. `My child has been neglected--shamefully neglected. That man came to my house last night from some public dinner, and I feel sure now, though I did not detect it then, that he was ignorant of what he was doing. But quick, sir, follow me!'

"In another minute John Ross was in the chamber before the little sufferer, lying pale and wasted upon its weeping mother's knees. For a moment the young surgeon was almost unmanned, when, looking to him as her last hope, the weeping woman raised her red eyes, and joined her hands supplicatingly, as if to say, `Oh, save--oh, save my child!'

"Wealth was there, glancing from every article of furniture in the handsome room, but the cold grim shade that visits the palace with the same stern justice as the lowly cottage, seemed to be also there waiting for a few brief moments ere he claimed his own.

"For a moment John Ross thought he was too late, and his brow knit with disappointment; but the next instant he drew a long breath, and as if nerving himself to the struggle with the destroyer, he threw off his coat, knelt down, and softly lifted one blue lid, to gaze in the contracted pupil of the child's eye, and listened to its faint, sighing breath.

"`Cold water--towels--vinegar,' he then said, in quick, firm tones.

`Now brandy. What have you there, arrowroot? Yes; good. Now the brandy--quick!'

"Father and servants flew to execute his commands, and in a few seconds the tightly-closed lips were parted, and with difficulty a little brandy and arrowroot was swallowed. Towels saturated with vinegar and water were wrapped round the little golden head, and extemporising a fan from an open book, the young surgeon placed the father at his child's head to keep up a sharp agitation of the air, and ran himself to throw open the window.

"Directly after he was back, and watching the child with an earnestness barely equalled by its parents, as at intervals he spoke, after drawing out his watch and referring to it from time to time.

"`Look,' he said, in short, peremptory tones: `the eyes are unclosing, the pupils dilate already, there is a little more pulsation--that sigh was stronger. Keep up the fanning, sir; now another towel, and colder water.'

Fresh applications were made, and then another anxious interval ensued, during which the dark shadow of death seemed to fade, and in a wondrous manner light--the faintest dawn of life--seemed to return into the child's face.

"`Good, so far!' exclaimed Mr Ross, while father and mother watched him with an aspect almost approaching to the veneration that must have beamed in the face of the Shunammite woman when the `Man of G.o.d' raised her child from the dead. And truly this seemed almost a miracle--the miracle of science given by the Great Creator to those who will study and learn His wonders.

"But now Mr Ross was at a table, hurriedly writing out a prescription on a leaf of his pocket book.

"`Take that,' he said to Mr Western--`take it yourself to my wife, and bring back what she prepares.'

"`To your wife?' stammered the father.

"`Yes, to my wife,' said the young surgeon. `There, man, I'd trust my life to her accuracy, so do not be afraid.'

"With the obedience of a servant, Mr Western hurried from the room, and in a few minutes more the sound of hoofs was heard upon the drive, as he galloped off himself to fetch the medicine.

"In less than half an hour Mr Western was back, to find that the poor child had shown further signs of returning animation; the horrible convulsed look had left its countenance; its breathing was more regular, and already, with tears of grat.i.tude, the mother was whispering her thanks. But Mr Ross only shook his head, saying that the danger had been staved off for awhile, but that it was still imminent.

"Then taking the medicine from its bearer, he tasted, nodded his head in token of satisfaction, and with his own hands administered a small portion.

"`Now, Mr Western,' he then said, fanning the child's head furiously the while he spoke, `we have done all we can do for the present, the rest must follow, and all depends upon good nursing. With your lady's consent, then, we will divide that between us; but I feel it to be my duty to tell you that the child is in very, very great danger, and likely to be for some time. What we have to do now, is to try and make up for the waste of nature that has already taken place.'