“Come along,” Masters jabbed at him. “Come along, man! Waive introduction. Life and death....”
Napier jumped up. Masters looked almost fresh and boyish beside him. A captain of men, that was Conrad Masters.
“I say,” Napier said....
“Look here,” said Masters, “I’m taking you in to cheer her up. Might make all the difference. Just might....”
Napier tried to smile. Oh, he tried.
“But, doctor,” he said. “Is she ... going?”
“She wants to go, that’s the trouble. Any one would think,” snapped that captain of men, “that I was committing a felony in trying to keep her alive. By the way she looks at me. You’ve got to cheer her up, Mr. eh....”
“Captain Harpenden,” I said.
“You’ve got to make her care whether she lives or dies. That’s your business, Captain Harpenden. I’ll give you five minutes to do it in....” Napier looked from him to me. He scowled immensely.
“I’ll go out to Venice,” I said, but I don’t suppose that Napier, passing me, heard a word. Conrad Masters stayed a second. Gone was the captain of men. He looked terribly worried....