And she rushed into the next room, and half a minute later came back with her hat and wrap.
“Allan,” she said, “tell them to call me a cab!”
He tried to protest again; but she would not hear him. “You can ride with me,” she said. “You can talk then. Call me a cab! Please—save me that trouble.”
He gave the message: and Lucy, meanwhile, stood in the middle of the room, twisting her hands together nervously.
“Now, Allan, go downstairs,” she said; “wait for me there.” And after another glance at the broken figure of Ryder, he took his hat and coat and obeyed.
Montague spent his time pacing back and forth in the entrance-hall. The cab arrived, and a minute later Lucy appeared, wearing a heavy veil. She went straight to the vehicle, and sprang in, and Montague followed. She gave the driver the address of Waterman's great marble palace over by the park; and the cab started.
Then suddenly she turned upon Montague, speaking swiftly and intensely.
“I know what you are going to say,” she cried. “But you must spare me—and you must spare yourself. I am sorry that you should have to know this—God knows that I could not help it! But it cannot be undone. And there is no other way out of it. I must go to him, and try to save Ryder!”
“Lucy,” he began, “listen to me—”
“I don't want to listen to you,” she cried wildly—almost hysterically. “I cannot bear to be argued with. It is too hard for me as it is!”