“I hope so, but I think we shall soon know.”
“I have your word of honour that you will not breathe a word of anything you have witnessed here to-night.”
“Certainly. I pledge my word of honour.”
The men outside appeared to have a good deal to chatter about and seemed none too ready to enter. They were probably discussing who should have the privilege of being the first to face my revolver. I did not like the look of the thing at all.
“If they are your friends, why don’t they come in?” I asked my companion. “Hadn’t you better speak to them?”
She crossed to the door and it occurred to me to place the head of a chair under the handle and make it a little more difficult for them to get in.
“You need have no fear, Mr. Donnington,” she said with a touch of contempt as I took this precaution.
“It’s only a slight test of the mood they are in.”
As she reached the door the injured man began to show signs of recovering his senses; and I stooped over him while she spoke to the men.
“Is Dr. Barosa there?” she called.