"Since just after I called you," the girl replied.
"Did you notice anything unusual about her before that? You said something over the telephone about her talking queerly."
The nurse looked quickly over to the alcove where Lillian and I sat. Dr. Pettit's eyes followed her glance. With a quick muttered exclamation he strode swiftly to where we sat and towered angrily above us.
"What does this mean?" he asked imperatively. "Why are you here listening to this stuff? It is abominable."
"I agree with you, Dr. Pettit. It is abominable, but she made Madge promise to stay," Lillian said quietly. She made an almost imperceptible gesture of her head toward the bed, and her voice was full of meaning. He started, looked her steadily in the eyes, then nodded slightly as if asserting some unspoken thought of hers.
"Dicky darling," the voice from the bed rose pleadingly, "don't you remember how you promised me to take me away from all this, how we planned to go far, far away, where no one would ever find us again?"
Dr. Pettit turned almost savagely on me.
"Promise or no promise," he said, "I will not allow this any longer.
You must go out of this room and stay out."
I stood up and faced him unflinchingly.
"I cannot, Dr. Pettit," I answered firmly. "I must keep my promise."