For some moments after he had finished speaking Mrs. Darrell remained silent, looking at him fixedly with that awful death-like face.
'Who can have done such a thing?' she asked at last, in a half-mechanical way.
'You must be a better judge of that question than I,' answered Mr.
Hale. 'Is there any one in this house inimical to your stepdaughter?'
'No one, that I know of.'
'We have two duties before us, Mrs. Darrell: the first, to protect our patient from the possibility of any farther attempt of this kind; the second, to trace the hand that has done this work. I shall telegraph to Leeds immediately for a professional nurse, to relieve Miss Crofton in the care of the sick-room; and I shall communicate at once with the police, in order that this house may be placed under surveillance.'
Mrs. Darrell said not a word, either in objection or assent, to this. She seated herself by the table again, and began trifling idly with the writing materials before her.
'You will do what is best, of course, Mr. Hale,' she said, after a long pause; 'you are quite at liberty to act in this matter according to your own discretion.'
'Thanks; it is a matter in which my responsibility entitles me to a certain amount of power. I shall telegraph to Dr. Lomond, asking him to come down to-morrow. Whatever doubt you may entertain of my judgment will be dispelled when I am supported by his opinion.'
'Of course; but I have not expressed any doubt of your judgment.'
We left her immediately after this—left her sitting before the table, with her restless hands turning over the papers.