"Because you were growing insolent," he said. "Leave Miss Matchwick's name out of the question."
"You tried to kill her," said the woman, sinking her voice yet more. "I saw that; I know why you opened those doors last night."
There was a long pause, and then I heard the doctor give a quick laugh. "Well, doesn't that satisfy you?" he asked.
She seemed to laugh in response. "But you won't have the courage again," she taunted him.
"Won't I?" I heard him move as though he took a step towards her. "I shall. And next time it will be something more subtle than any such bungling business of an accident at night. I gave a certificate once, in the case of a certain Martha Leach, concerning the death——"
"Don't speak of that!" she exclaimed.
"And I can give one in the case of the death of a certain Debora——What's that?"
I had been so startled that I had stumbled back against the door, closing it noisily. I had the sense now to open it quickly, and apparently to march into the room, cheerily whistling. As I did so the doctor came quickly round the screen and confronted me.
"Hullo!" I exclaimed. "Forgive my bursting in like that; I wanted to see you."
He drew a breath of relief, and smiled in a ghastly fashion; he seemed strangely shaken. "You did startle me rather," he said. "What's the matter?"