ladder, and raised her head cautiously to look in at the window. Then she ducked it swiftly, but after a minute or two brought it very slowly up again. She stayed there for about five minutes. Then she descended again.
“It’s her,” she said breathlessly and ungrammatically.
“But oh! Tommy, it’s horrible. She’s lying there in bed, moaning, and turning to and fro—and just as I got there a woman dressed as a nurse came in. She bent over her and injected something in her arm and then went away again. What shall we do?”
“Is she conscious?”
“I think so. I’m almost sure she is. I fancy she may be strapped to the bed. I’m going up again, and if I can, I’m going to get into that room.”
“I say, Tuppence—”
“If I’m in any sort of danger I’ll yell for you. So long.”
Avoiding further argument Tuppence hurried up the ladder again. Tommy saw her try the window, then noiselessly push up the sash. Another second, and she had disappeared inside.
And now an agonising time came for Tommy. He could hear nothing at first. Tuppence and Mrs. Leigh Gordon must be talking in whispers if they were talking at all. Presently he did hear a low murmur of voices and drew a breath of relief. But suddenly the voices stopped. Dead silence.
Tommy strained his ears. Nothing. What could