He bowed as gravely as if she had required of him a mighty sacrifice, and he turned to the window.
The long velvet curtains were pulled together, and he did not attempt to draw them from the glass. Instead, he simply slipped his arm between them. Then something went wrong with the knob that controls the bolt. He shook the knob. His hand slipped and went through the pane. There was a tinkle of falling glass.
Startled by the sound Muriel rose quickly to her feet.
"What is it?" she asked.
She took an involuntary step forward. Then she saw that von Klausen was trying to conceal from her his right hand, red with blood.
"You are hurt?" she cried.
Her swarthy cheek whitened. There was a swift catch in her throat.
"It is nothing," he answered. "The window is open."
The window was indeed open. The curtain, however, remained drawn.
"But you are hurt!" repeated Muriel.