The lips of her large, sweet,
sensuous mouth were as colorless as her face.
"You have been hurt." I put my hand on her trembling ones. "Did
some one strike you or did you fall?"
She shook her head and drew her hands away. "I wasn't hurt. I--I
slipped and fell and struck my head on the pavement. Don't let
anybody telephone. I can go alone. Please--please let me go! I
must go! I can't stay here."
"But you mustn't go alone." I turned to Selwyn. "Mr. Thorne will go
with you. Do you live far from here?"
"Not very. It's close enough for me to go by myself. He mustn't go
with me." The words came stumblingly, and again I saw the quick,
frightened look she gave Selwyn, a look in which was indecision and
appeal, as well as fear, and I saw, too, that his face flushed as he
turned away.
With quick movement the girl got up. From her throat came a sound
hysterical and choking, and, putting her hand to it, she looked first
at me and then at Mrs. Mundy, but at Selwyn she did not look again.
"I'm going. Thank you for letting me come in." Blindly she
staggered to the door, her hands outstretched as if to feel what she
could not see.
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