"Excuse me, but you didn't see that automobile," he said, as he released her.
Shaken, she went on through several streets to find herself at length confronted by a pair of shabby doors that looked familiar, and pushing one of them open, baited at the bottom of a stairway to listen. The sound of cheerful voices camp to her from above; she started to climb—even with the help of the rail it seemed as if she would never reach the top of that stairway. But at last she stood in a loft where long tables were set, and at the end of one of these, sorting out spoons and dishes, three women and a man were chatting and laughing together. Janet was troubled because she could not remember who the man was, although she recognized his bold profile, his voice and gestures…. At length one of the women said something in a low tone, and he looked around quickly and crossed the room.
"Why, it's you!" he said, and suddenly she recalled his name.
"Mr. Insall!"
But his swift glance had noticed the expression in her eyes, the sagged condition of her clothes, the attitude that proclaimed exhaustion. He took her by the arm and led her to the little storeroom, turning on the light and placing her in a chair. Darkness descended on her….
Mrs. Maturin, returning from an errand, paused for an instant in the doorway, and ran forward and bent over Janet.
"Oh, Brooks, what is it—what's happened to her?"
"I don't know," he replied, "I didn't have a chance to ask her. I'm going for a doctor."
"Leave her to me, and call Miss Hay." Mrs. Maturin was instantly competent …. And when Insall came back from the drug store where he had telephoned she met him at the head of the stairs. "We've done everything we can, Edith Hay has given her brandy, and gone off for dry clothes, and we've taken all the children's things out of the drawers and laid her on the floor, but she hasn't come to. Poor child,—what can have happened to her? Is the doctor coming?"
"Right away," said Insall, and Mrs. Maturin went back into the storeroom.
Miss Hay brought the dry clothes before the physician arrived.