Miss Bird cast a lowering eye on her fellow-boarder, but before she could make any remark the door was opened with unexpected suddenness, and Mary came in.
"Oh, if you please, mum," she said, addressing Mrs Maybury, "there's some policemen at the door, and Mr Somers, and they've brought Dr Mortimer----"
But here the little maid broke down and burst into tears. Fortunately Koko appeared at this juncture to complete the announcement.
"Jim has been hurt by Hooligans," he said, quietly. "At first I wanted to take him to a hospital, but he told me he would like to be brought here."
"Is he badly hurt?" asked Mr Maybury.
"Yes," said Koko, "very seriously hurt. The police fetched a doctor----"
He paused, for he noticed that Dora had risen to her feet, and, white as death, was awaiting the doctor's verdict.
"The doctor pronounced him to be suffering from concussion of the brain and a fracture of the spine."
Mr Maybury walked out of the room, closing the door after him. The police ambulance containing Jim's unconscious form had been set down in the hall. By the ambulance stood Dr Taplow's representative--the bearded man.
"Please follow me," said Mr Maybury, and those in the drawing-room could hear ominously heavy footsteps on the stairs as the policemen bore their burden up to Jim's little room on the second landing. Koko slipped out of the drawing-room after giving Mrs Maybury and the others further details concerning the affair. Dora made as if to follow him.