Once in the building she turned on one of her flashlights.
“Humph! Somebody been in ahead of me,” she said to herself, examining the floor of the hall. “Somebody and that body with small feet!” She turned on both flashlights to examine more thoroughly the footprints in the dust.
“I bet Slater doesn’t know it, but I fancy he has let up lately or will let up now that there is a tenant coming in tomorrow.” She followed the foot prints along the hall and into the dining room. They led straight to where Mary Louise lay in the little heap on the floor, the telephone, with the receiver out, fallen beside her.
“God bless my soul!” exclaimed Josie. “She was faint and tried to call some one. Poor child! She shouldn’t have come here alone. The place has proved too much for her.”
Tenderly she stretched out the slender figure, placing a cushion from the den under her body, thereby giving the heart a chance to function. Then she grasped the telephone and, putting back the receiver, she waited a moment and then called up Dr. Coles, told him of Mary Louise’s being in a faint, and received his assurance that he would be there in a moment.
He was as good as his word and, almost before Josie could count ten, he was at the door in his car.
Mary Louise opened her eyes as he came in and smiled wanly. She tried to say something.
“Never mind talking just yet, Mrs. Dexter,” he said, his eyes full of compassion.
“Let’s get her home first,” suggested Josie. “Home to the Higgledy Piggledy.”
“Can she be quiet enough there?” he asked.