"Say to them to give him the message to telephone me the moment he arrives."
The nurse gave the message and the telephone number of the home. Suddenly she felt her patient sway heavily against her. The reaction had set in from the feverish tension of the last hour—Elaine had fainted away.
CHAPTER XXVIII
THE COUNTER-MOVE
Olive, as Elaine had guessed, went straight to Rivière's laboratory to confront him. Not finding him there, she made her way to his hotel and again drew blank.
This left her uncertain as to her next movements. Should she return to the nursing home, and wait about in its neighbourhood in the hope of meeting her husband on his way to see Elaine? That course seemed undignified. Should she try the laboratory once more? That seemed a mere waste of precious time. Should she walk the length of the Wilhelmstrasse on the chance of crossing him there? That seemed a very long shot.
On the whole she judged it advisable to return to the Hotel Quisisana, and from there to hold her husband by telephone. Accordingly she said to the hotel porter at Rivière's hotel:
"When Mr Rivière comes in, tell him to 'phone up at once No. 352."
"Already haf I taken zat message, lady."
"To 'phone up No. 352?" asked Olive in surprise.