We piled into the big touring car and made a quick run to the Puritan Building.
Then we all went to my office first. Norah did the honors as prettily as any hostess in her own home, and her ready tact helped Olive to overcome her dread of the place.
“Well,” said Rivers, at last, “what are we waiting for? I thought we were to go over to Mr. Gately’s rooms. Perhaps Miss Raynor and Mrs. Vail would prefer to stay here with Miss MacCormack.”
“No,” said Olive, firmly, “I want to go, too.”
Norah looked at her uncertainly. Then, probably realizing that for Olive to remain behind would be harder than to face whatever might happen, she said, quite casually, “Very well, Miss Raynor, let us all go.”
I think we were all imbued with a sense of fear, a sort of premonition that the visit across the hall would be productive of grave results.
Rivers was the most light-hearted of the party, and yet I somehow felt that his cheerfulness was forced.
“The keys, Brice?” he said; “oh, you have them. All right, my boy, go ahead.”
And then the same stillness that was on the rest of us fell on him, too, and we entered the rooms in silence.
I went first, through Jenny’s room, on to the middle room, and paused just beyond the desk.