"Keep your seats, everyone!" ordered Greasy, peering with his hawk face over the audience. "Manager, take that man away. And get on with the show!"
The audience was stunned into obedience. The manager followed the gangster's instructions without a word. A raucous-voiced actress tripped onto the stage, where the murdered man's blood had left a stain, and relieved the tension with a song and dance. In five minutes the tragedy was forgotten, the crowd was laughing uproariously and Greasy Jones was toying with his girls.
Northcote's first thought was for Nita.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
But the plucky reporter's nerve, stout as it was, had been unable to stand this shock.
"For God's sake, let's get out of here!" she whispered. "This is terrible!"
Outside, recovered, she asked Northcote what he thought of the occurrence.
"I don't know," he answered. "But, rest assured, I'll see that Adair hears about that speech and Jones' extraordinary behaviour!"
Next day they returned to Discovery.