Even the two young men-albeit, neither of them given to nervousness nor cowardice--recoiled for an instant, and stared aghast.
Then, as the whole truth struck them, that the girl had been in a deep swoon and not dead, both simultaneously darted forward, and forgetting all fear of infection, knelt by her side.

A pair of great, lustrous black eyes were staring wildly around, and fixed themselves first on one face and then on the other.
"Where am I ?" she exclaimed, with a terrified look, as she strove to raise herself on her elbow, and fell instantaneously back with a cry of agony, as she felt for the first time the throbbing anguish of the wound.
"You are with friends, dear lady!" said Sir Norman, in a voice quite tremulous between astonishment and delight.

"Fear nothing, for you shall be saved." The great black eyes turned wildly upon him, while a fierce spasm convulsed the beautiful face.
"O, my God, I remember! I have the plague!" And, with a prolonged shriek of anguish, that thrilled even to the hardened heart of the dead-cart driver, the girl fell back senseless again.

Sir Norman Kingsley sprang to his feet, and with more the air of a frantic lunatic than a responsible young English knight, caught the cold form in his arms, laid it in the dead-cart, and was about springing into the driver's seat, when that individual indignantly interposed.
"Come, now; none of that! If you were the king himself, you shouldn't run away with my cart in that fashion; so you just get out of my place as fast as you can!" "My dear Kingsley, what are you about to do ?" asked Ormiston, catching his excited friend by the arm.
"Do!" exclaimed Sir Norman, in a high key.

"Can't you see that for yourself! And I'm going to have that girl cured of the plague, if there is such a thing as a doctor to be had for love or money in London." "You had better have her taken to the pest house at once, then; there are chirurgeons and nurses enough there." "To the pest-house! Why man, I might as well have her thrown into the plague-pit there, at once! Not I! I shall have her taken to my own house, and there properly cared for, and this good fellow will drive her there instantly." Sir Norman backed this insinuation by putting a broad gold-piece into the driver's hand, which instantly produced a magical effect on his rather surly countenance.
"Certainly, sir," he began, springing into his seat with alacrity.
"Where shall I drive the young lady to ?" "Follow me," said Sir Norman.