In his endeavour to
escape from her his foot was caught in the carpet, and he was violently
precipitated down the long flight of stairs. His screams brought the whole
party to his assistance; even Kinch, who was sitting on the step outside,
threw off his usual dread of Caddy, and rushed into the house. "Oh, take me
up," piteously cried Charlie; "oh, take me up, I'm almost killed." In
raising him, one of the old women took hold of his arm, which caused him to
scream again. "Don't touch my arm, please don't touch my arm; I'm sure it's
broke."
"No, no, it's not broke, only sprained, or a little twisted," said she;
and, seizing it as she spoke, she gave it a pull and a wrench, for the
purpose of making it all right again; at this Charlie's face turned deathly
pale, and he fainted outright.
"Run for a doctor," cried the now thoroughly-alarmed Caddy; "run for the
doctor! my brother's dead!" and bursting into tears, she exclaimed, "Oh,
I've killed my brother, I've killed my brother!"
"Don't make so much fuss, child," soothingly replied one of the old women:
"he's worth half a dozen dead folk yet. Lor bless you, child, he's only
fainted."
Water was procured and thrown in his face, and before Kinch returned with
the doctor, he was quite restored to consciousness.
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