Seizing him by the shoulders, I tried to arouse him, exclaiming:
“For heaven’s sake! What is the matter?”
My words had no effect, so I shook him roughly.
Then he slowly began to come to his senses. His lips moved, without any sound passing them. But presently he found voice to murmur, as if talking in his sleep:
“It has come! The Seuen-H’sin—the terrible Seuen-H’sin!”
An instant later, with a great effort, he drew himself together and spoke sharply to the chauffeur:
“Quick! Never mind those addresses we gave you! Rush us to the Grand Central Station! Hurry!”
As the car suddenly swerved into a side street, I turned to the doctor.
“What’s the matter? Where are you going?” I asked.
“To Washington!” he snapped, in reply to my second question. “As fast as we can get there!”