CHAPTER XX.THE AGONY OF ONRAI.
The day must have seemed interminable to the wounded elephant as he lay on the hard, sand-covered earth. All that could be done for his comfort, however, had been done; his wounds had been dressed again in the evening and repeated efforts had been made to get him on his feet, but without success. They had, though, gotten him on his haunches and he seemed easier in this position. They had gone to the villa and procured ropes and a sort of pulley, which they were now rigging to one of the trees above Gip. They thought that by getting him on his feet he might be able to walk to the villa stables, as the trouble all lay in the right foreleg, which had been sprained by the log striking it. The block and fall had been rigged and the rope worked under the immense body and fastened in a loop; then two other elephants were hitched to the other end of the rope and started. They moved slowly, and as the rope tightened about Gip’s shoulders, he did all in his power to help regain his feet. But his help was not needed for the two elephants lifted him bodily until his forelegs were pulled from off the ground, his hind feet alone touching; then he was lowered until the forelegs again touched the ground, and after awhile, when he had become used to the weight, the rope was taken from about his body and the other two elephants taking up a position,one on either side of him, he was gently urged to take a step forward.
It was painful to see the effort he made to walk. His right foreleg was stiff and he had to limp in a distressing manner. It took a long time to reach the villa stables, where a soft bed had been made for him with a sling rigged above, so that he could be raised or lowered as the attendants saw fit.
“I declare,” said Mr. Bruce, “it does me good to see the brave animal housed. If it were not for him we would not now have even a small hope of Enola again being with us, alive and well.”
“It is a small hope, indeed,” said Mr. Graham. “But it is a hope, and even that is better than knowing that the bruised and mangled body lay buried under a pile of debris. Gip, you do not realize the full significance of your brave act. It may mean health and happiness or it may mean suffering and mental death. God forbid that it should be the latter.”
Mr. Graham and Mr. Bruce now turned and went into the house and direct to Enola’s apartment. She lay still in that death-like sleep into which she had fallen after taking the morphine. Mr. Bruce looked at her anxiously, and stepping up to her couch, felt her pulse.
“Her fever is abating,” he said, “and I can now say there may be some hope of her recovery. When I first felt her pulse this morning it was beating at the rate of 105; but the smallest rise in this and she could not have survived,” and saying this, Mr. Bruce proceeded to rebandage the swollen and inflamed face and limbs. Now that the fever was checked he feared blood-poison, and especial precaution against this hadto be taken. As Mr. Bruce and the attendant unwound the old bandages, Enola opened her eyes and looked about her in a half-dreamy way, but there was no intelligence in that look; the eyes were dull and seemed to recognize none of the friends about her; her lips parted and she again breathed the word “Gip.” That was all. Everything else was forgotten, friends, past, all was wrapped in darkness now.
“The experiences of that night must have been terrible,” said Mr. Graham, as he looked upon Enola with tearful eyes.
“More terrible than we can even imagine,” said Mr. Bruce, “but the strong constitution may bring her back to health and happiness again; I feel more hopeful now.”
Nellie, who was standing by one of the large curtained arches at the far end of the room for a moment, breathing the fresh air from the garden, exclaimed hurriedly:
“Father, come quickly, it is Onrai dashing madly up the drive. Look, he is now at the terrace. Oh! his poor zebra has dropped dead, and he hurries up the steps. He looks wild, crazed by the experiences of the past few hours.”
“He will come directly to the apartment,” said Mr. Graham. “Mr. Bruce, warn him back.”
Mr. Bruce stepped into the wide corridor and motioned to Onrai to remain where he was. Coming back into the room, he said:
“Care must be taken when the King comes in, for he is not the Onrai we have known for the past few weeks. One short night and day has changed himwonderfully. He may, in his impetuosity, do something which will injure our fair patient.”
“How strange,” said Mrs. Graham, “that he should have changed so. Why, only yesterday, as we rode along, happy and without a care, I thought to myself that I had never seen a man so thoroughly free from all care and trouble as Onrai.”
“I think,” said Nellie, “that an explanation is easy enough to find.”
“Then tell us, Nellie,” said her mother.
“Why, he has fallen in love with Enola and the events of the past few hours have crazed him. We do not wonder at ourselves for being buried in grief at Enola’s sufferings, and it is but natural that Onrai should feel the same.”
“Don’t say that,” said Mrs. Graham. “It would grieve Harry deeply if he suspected such a thing to be true.”
“I doubt not that but Harry has seen the trend of things, for I have watched him closely lately and he seems to be worried,” said Mr. Graham, “but he would never admit it.”
Enola had fallen into the stupor during this short conversation and this was probably better so, for any violent movement would loosen the bandages and open the wounds afresh, and this must be avoided. As she lay partially on her side, a full view of her bandaged face could be had; nothing but the eyes could be seen however, the remainder of the face being entirely covered. She looked like one dead and with scarcely a breath stirring the gauze over her nostrils, and with the white silk robe falling about her, one could easily believe that she had succumbed to the excruciatingsufferings. Just at this moment Mr. Bruce stepped to the arch and motioned Onrai to enter.
“Be very quiet,” said Mr. Bruce, as the King came forward hurriedly. Harry also came up quickly, and together they entered the apartment where the dearest one on earth to them, lay at death’s door.
Both stepped up to the couch, and as Onrai’s eyes fell on the white bandages and saw only the discolored eyelids, he fell back exclaiming in an agonized voice, “Dead;” then, almost beside himself with grief, he rushed forward and falling beside the couch would have clasped her in his arms had not Harry, who was also suffering untold agony, caught him by the arm and held him back. Mr. Bruce also stepped up and said calmly;
“Onrai, what would you do. Do you not realize that such an act on your part would endanger her life? Calm yourself and do not ruin the small chance which this poor girl has for recovery.”
Onrai arose and stepped back slowly, his whole frame convulsed with strong emotion. Drawing his hand over his eyes he said slowly.
“She is not dead then, thank God. Forgive me, I should not have acted thus for her sake and my own.” Then looking about him and seeing several native women attendants in the apartment, his glance fell on the floor, for the first time in his life ashamed of his own actions.
Mr. Graham noticing the look of humiliation and guessing its cause, felt for this strong man to the bottom of his heart, and taking his arm, said;
“No, Onrai, she is not dead; but come with me, I would talk with you.”
Onrai, with his glance still resting on the floor, went out with Mr. Graham. When they had reached the terrace, Mr. Graham said:
“Onrai, I saw your suffering to-night, and, believe me, it touched my heart. But do you realize what you are doing? Are you doing this with your eyes open? Have you forgotten the laws of your land? I know but little about these, but I do know that you cannot marry. Then, are you doing yourself or that dear one inside, justice, by harboring such feelings? It can only bring unhappiness to both of you; therefore, banish such thoughts from your mind.”
“It is easy enough to say, do this, and I found it easy enough to resolve to do this, but I cannot do it. I cannot understand my weakness. My life has been spent, like my people’s, adhering to the laws laid down for us to follow. I have never questioned these, and have, by living up to them, been perfectly contented, as are all of my people. But you come to us from afar, and my life is changed immediately; at first I was pleased with you all, and then I found myself happier when alone with Enola and discontented when away from her; and not until last night did I realize that it was love which had wrought this change in me. Since then, what with the discovery of my sin and the fear for Enola’s life, I have suffered the tortures of hell.” As Onrai ceased speaking a noise like the marching of a heavy body of cavalry reached their ears. It was coming nearer and nearer. What did it mean?