“When can I see her?” asked Wharton.
“Now,” said the woman. “I’ll bring her.” Wharton could not suppress an involuntary “Here?” he exclaimed.
For the shade of a second Mrs. Earle exhibited the slightest evidence of embarrassment.
“My room’s in a mess,” she explained; “and she’s not hurt so much as Sammy said. He told her she was in bad just to keep her quiet until you got here.”
Mrs. Earle opened one of the doors leading from the room. “I won’t be a minute,” she said. Quietly she closed the door behind her.
Upon her disappearance the manner of the district attorney underwent an abrupt change. He ran softly to the door opposite the one through which Mrs. Earle had passed, and pulled it open. But, if beyond it he expected to find an audience of eavesdroppers, he was disappointed. The room was empty, and bore no evidence of recent occupation.. He closed the door, and, from the roller-top desk, snatching a piece of paper, scribbled upon it hastily. Wrapping the paper around a coin, and holding it exposed to view, he showed himself at the window. Below him, to an increasing circle of hens and pigeons, Nolan was still scattering crumbs. Without withdrawing his gaze from them, the chauffeur nodded. Wharton opened his hand and the note fell into the yard. Behind him he heard the murmur of voices, the sobs of a woman in pain, and the rattle of a door-knob. As from the window he turned quickly, he saw that toward the spot where his note had fallen Nolan was tossing the last remnants of his sandwich.
The girl who entered with Mrs. Earle, leaning on her and supported by her, was tall and fair. Around her shoulders her blond hair hung in disorder, and around her waist, under the kimono Mrs. Earle had thrown about her, were wrapped many layers of bandages. The girl moved unsteadily and sank into a chair.
In a hostile tone Mrs. Earle addressed her.
“Rose,” she said, “this is the district attorney.” To him she added: “She calls herself Rose Gerard.”
One hand the girl held close against her side, with the other she brushed back the hair from her forehead. From half-closed eyes she stared at Wharton defiantly.