"If you please, ma'am, you are wanted in Miss Staples' room."
"I—I can not go now," cried Dorothy, incoherently. "I have an urgent errand that I must attend to at once."
"But you must come, madame," said the girl, slowly, but very impressively.
"It is impossible," returned Dorothy, attempting to pass her by. "Every moment of my time is precious."
"But madame must go to the sick-room," reiterated the girl so earnestly that Dorothy paused.
"I will look in at the sick-room one moment," she said. "Then you—you must not detain me."
Suddenly she turned and asked:
"Do you know whether Mr. Garner is in the house?"
"He is in the library, ma'am."
"You are sure?" gasped Dorothy.