In the fewest words possible the boy told him what he had seen as he entered the office; also how he had been attacked by Vyce, and but for Bessie’s arrival would probably have been fatally injured.
“The scoundrel! He must have been crazy!”
“Not at all,” replied Vance. “I can easily understand how it came about; but for the present it is better I should say nothing on the subject. Mr. Whitemore will know how to deal with him when he recovers.”
“The police ought to be notified. I don’t like the looks of Mr. Whitemore. He is a long time coming to.”
“We shall have a physician here soon,” said Vance.
“He breathes very hard,” said Bessie anxiously.
She had been bathing the operator’s face and chafing his temples and hands with no satisfactory results.
In a few minutes the assistant bookkeeper appeared with a doctor, who was immediately taken into the private office.
Vance took advantage of this opportunity to clear the outer office of those drawn there by curiosity and other reasons.
He restored the ruler to its original position, locked the private compartment of the safe and put the key in his pocket.