“Then leave me, Thomas. But come back in five minutes.”
He dressed rapidly.
“Dying! My wife dying! She shall not die. By heaven, she shall not die!”
As he slipped on the coat, there came a quick rap on the door.
“Yes; come in! Now, Thomas——” Ah, the doctor. With an effort he pulled himself together. “Good morning.”
“So you’re up and dressed? I thought you would soon be all right when that stupor of exhaustion passed into natural sleep. You’ll do. I did what I could for you, Mr.——”
“My name is Luke Sparrow.”
“Ah, Mr. Sparrow. But my hands were full, from the first, with poor Lady Tintagel. Sad business, very. And the daughter and son-in-law went off motoring early this morning a four days’ tour, leaving no address. Haven’t traced them yet. Stupid thing to do. Not that she wants them, poor lady. And the quieter she is, the better. But she is asking for you.”
The little man jerked over to the window, and fussed with the blind cord.
“Is there immediate danger?”