“Cristi! La jolie dame!” the old surgeon muttered to himself.
In the doorway Leilah had come. Hurriedly she moved to Verplank. As she did so Barouffski tried to prevent her.
“Cara mia, I must beg of you——”
He had got in her way but she eluded him, while the other men looked curiously at this woman who now agitatedly was addressing Verplank.
“Don’t fight any more, don’t!”
Roughly Verplank answered: “I haven’t begun.”
“Sir,” cried Barouffski. “I can permit no conversation with this lady.”
Verplank ignoring Barouffski as utterly as he had ignored the surgeon, looked at Leilah.
“That story of yours is——”