Patsy hoped that she had taken some such action, but he had good reason to know that station houses are a considerable distance apart in that section of the Bronx, and policemen not as numerous as they might be.
That being so, assistance might easily fail to arrive in time to save them from more or less ignominious defeat, if nothing worse.
Patsy was not so much preoccupied, though, that he neglected to offer up a brief prayer—or something very like one—that Adelina might not feel called upon to take a hand herself.
There was nothing she could do, and he did not wish to have her expose herself to unnecessary danger.
The crisis came unexpectedly, but in a manner so simple that Nick’s assistant mentally kicked himself for not foreseeing it.
Doctor Siebold suddenly gave a leap, not toward Patsy but to one side. The act took him out of sight in a moment, so far as the young detective’s range of vision was concerned as he looked in through the door of the operating room.
“Follow me, Chester,” he called, “and you, Graves. We’ll show this fellow a trick or two in half a minute!”
Two of the other doctors instantly followed his example, knowing that a step or two would put them in safety.
In a flash Patsy guessed what the move meant. Almost immediately the sound of an opening door confirmed his suspicions.
He had been too busy, while in the operating room, to notice whether there were any other doors opening in it, aside from the one which communicated with the hall. It was evident now, however, that there was at least one other, between the operating room and the next one to the rear.