He did not even remove his coat and hat, but turning to his office boy, gave a hasty order:
"If any one calls, say that I will return by noon, if not earlier."
"But, sir, Mr. Chandler has been here already. He seemed very much put out that you were not here, and said that he would call again at half-past ten."
For a moment Lynde stood gnawing the ends of his mustache in perplexity, then, with an impatient wave of the hand, he turned away.
"Say that I could not wait, but that I will call at his office at one," he exclaimed, leaving the room almost at once.
Once in the street, he called a cab, and giving the driver the address the physician had provided, he ordered him to drive quickly.
It was with feelings of decided relief that he sprung from the cab as it paused before the door of a poor but respectable lodging-house.
Five minutes later the door of Leonie's room opened to admit him. She had recovered from her swoon, but lay almost lifeless upon the chair in which her grandfather had died.
In as few words as possible the physician explained what had occurred, after Lynde had introduced himself, and at the latter's request he was left alone with Leonie.
She was not even cognizant of his presence when he drew a chair to her side and took her hand.