Several seconds of complete silence followed, then, quite suddenly, as though someone had called her, she opened her eyes wide and turned her head.
He drew back behind the curtain on the instant ere she could catch sight of him, standing motionless as a statue, not seeming so much as to breathe.
A troubled frown gathered on Maud's face; she made a restless movement.
At once Mrs. Wright bent to her from the other side of the bed. "What is it, my dearie? You're not in pain?"
Maud was panting a little. She tried to raise herself, but was gently checked by a motherly hand. She took and held it with trembling fingers.
"Mrs. Wright,--please--you won't go!" she begged.
"Surely not, my dear." Stoutly Mrs. Wright made answer. "I'm going to take care of you all night long."
But Maud was not wholly reassured. She clung faster to the plump, soothing hand. "If Jake comes in, he--he will want to send you away. Don't let him, Mrs. Wright! I--I can't be alone with Jake to-night."
She was becoming agitated, but Mrs. Wright gently hushed her. "You shan't be, dearest. Jake wants me to be with you to-night. He is very unhappy about you, is poor Jake. Dear knows you needn't be afraid of him."
"Oh, how can I help it after what he did to Charlie? Did you see? Did you see? Is Charlie very badly hurt?"