As Vyce passed hurriedly out into the corridor he brushed against two clerks from an adjacent office who had been attracted to the spot by the girl’s scream.
Before he reached the stairway he ran against others.
In fact, the entire floor had by this time been alarmed, and a score of men were hurrying toward Mr. Whitemore’s office.
“What’s the excitement about, Mr. Vyce?” asked the elevator boy as the bookkeeper pushed himself into the descending cage, which had stopped at his signal.
“An accident has happened to Mr. Whitemore,” he answered in a hoarse voice. “I’m going for a doctor.”
By this ruse he managed to effect his escape from the building.
In the meantime, while the office was filling with excited people anxious to find out what had occurred, Vance gradually recovered himself.
As soon as he could sit up Bessie got him a glass of water, which he swallowed greedily.
Then he got on his feet.
“Thanks, Bessie; I feel all right now. Don’t crowd in here, gentlemen,” he said, waving back the mob.