Stevens unlocked the door, and Mixley entered the room, McGrath following soon after.
"There's no help for it, ma'am," they spoke as one man.
At the sight of them Miriam rushed back to her husband and shook him slightly, speaking his name softly. Then she turned plaintively to the men:—
"If you would only let him sleep—just a little while longer," she said falteringly.
"You must leave him to us, ma'am," spoke up Mixley; and pointing to the far corner of the room, added: "Will you take that chair, there, please? Don't be afraid, ladies," he went on, glancing at Shirley; "we won't hurt the gentleman, see if we do."
And suddenly, together, the men bodily lifted Challoner from the sofa and as suddenly dropped him back again.
At this use of physical force Miriam covered her face with her hands and cried:—
"Don't do that—please don't...."
They desisted, but for quite another reason.
"There's a hump here that we'd best attend to," said Mixley to the other detective, meaningly, running his hand over the outline of Challoner's clothing. "He may not be so sound asleep as he seems to be."