CHAPTER XXXIV. THE CLOUD BURSTS.

oing!Oh,missis,comequick!Peterhasgotit!Oh,daddyhasgotit!Oh,mychild!mychild!" Andthedoctor,exhaustedashewasbythesurpriseandexcitementofthiscase,beganflyingfromonetoanotherofthecabins,inthegreatesthaste.Twoorthreeofthehouse-servantsalsoseemedtobestruckinthesamemoment,andonlythecalmnessandcouragewhichNinaandherauntmaintainedpreventedageneralabandonmenttopanic.Ninapossessedthatfine,elastictemperamentwhich,withtheappearanceofextremedelicacy,possessesgreatpowersofendurance.Theperfectcalmnesswhichshefeltenabledhertobringallherfacultiestobearontheemergency. "Mygoodaunty,youmustn'tbeafraid!BringoutyourreligiontrustinGod,"shesaid,tothecook,whowaswringingherhandsinterror."Rememberyourreligionsingsomeofyourhymns,anddoyourdutytothesick." Thereisamagicpowerinthecheerfultoneofcourage,andNinasucceededinrallyingthewellonestotakecareofthesickbutnowcameamessenger,inhothaste,tosaythatthecholerahadbrokenoutontheplantationathome. "Well,Harry,"saidNina,withafacepale,yetunmoved,"ourdutycallsusaway." And,accompaniedbythewearyphysician,theypreparedtogobacktoCanema.Beforetheyhadproceededfar,amanmetthemonhorseback. "IsDr.Butlerwithyou?" "Yes,"saidNina,puttingherheadoutofthecarriage. "Oh,doctor,I'vebeenridingalloverthecountryafteryou.Youmustcomebacktotownthisminute!JudgePetersisdying!I'mafraidheisdeadbeforethistime,andthere'sadozenmorecasesrightinthatstreet.Here,getontomyhorse,andrideforyourlife." Thedoctorhastilysprangfromthecarriage,andmountedthehorsethen,stoppingamoment,hecastalookofgood-naturedpityonthesweet,palefacethatwasleaningoutofthecarriagewindow. "Mypoorchild,"hesaid,"Ican'tbeartoleaveyou.Whowillhelpyou?" "God,"saidNina"Iamnotafraid!" "Come,come,"saidtheman,"dohurry!"And,withonehastyglancemore,hewasgone. "Now,Harry,"saidNina,"everythingdependsuponourkeepingupourcourageandourstrength.Weshallhavenophysician.Wemustjustdothebestwecan.Afterall,itisourLordJesusthathasthekeysofdeath,andhelovedusanddiedforus.Hewillcertainlybewithus." "Oh,MissNina,youareanangel!"saidHarry,whofeltatthatmomentasifhecouldhaveworshippedher. Arrivedathome,Ninafoundasceneofterrorandconfusionsimilartothatshehadalreadywitnessed.OldHundredlaydeadinhiscabin,andthelamentingcrowd,gatheringround,wereyieldingtothefulltideoffearandexcitement,whichpredisposedthemtothesamefate.Ninarodeupimmediatelytothegroup.Shespoketothemcalmlyshesilencedtheiroutcries,andbadethemobeyher. "Ifyouwish,allofyou,todie,"shesaid,"thisisthewaytowardsitbut,ifyou'llkeepquietandcalm,anddowhatoughttobedone,yourlivesmaybesaved.HarryandIhavegotmedicines—weunderstandwhattodo.Youmustfollowourdirectionsexactly." Ninaimmediatelywenttothehouse,andinstructedMilly,AuntRose,andtwoorthreeoftheelderlywomen,inthedutiestobedone.Millyroseup,inthishourofterror,withallthefortitudeinspiredbyherstrongnature. "BressdeLord,"shesaid,"forhisgracetoyou,chile!DeLordisashield.He'sbeenwidusinsixtroubles,andhe'llbewidusinseven.WecansingindeswellingsofJordan." Harry,meanwhile,wasassociatingtohimselfabandofthemostreliablemenontheplace,andendeavoringinthesamemannertoorganizethemforaction.Amessengerwasdispatchedimmediatelytotheneighboringtownforunlimitedquantitiesofthemostnecessarymedicinesandstimulants.Theplantationwasdistrictedoff,andplacedunderthecareofleaders,whoheldcommunicationwithHarry.Inthecourseoftwoorthreehours,theappallingsceneofdistressandconfusionwasreducedtotheresoluteandorderlyconditionofawell-managedhospital. Millywalkedtheroundsineverydirection,appealingtothereligioussensibilitiesofthepeople,andsinginghymnsoftrustandconfidence.Shepossessedapeculiarvoice,suitedtoherlargedevelopmentofphysicalframe,almostasdeepasaman'sbass,withtherichsoftnessofafemininetoneandNinacouldnowandthendistinguish,asshewasmovingaboutthehouseorgrounds,thattriumphanttone,singing,— "Godismysun, Andhemyshade, Tog