And Mrs. Turner
rose hastily, and glanced at Mrs. Johns, as if in doubt. Elsa had
her back to me, and was busy with the cups.
"I'm afraid you've had a bad night," I said.
"A very bad night," Mrs. Turner replied stiffly.
"Delirium?"
"Very marked. He has talked of a white figure--we cannot quite
make it out. It seems to be Wilmer--Mr. Vail."
She had not opened the door, but stood, nervously twisting her
fingers, before it.
"The bromides had no effect?"
She glanced helplessly at the others. "None," she said, after a
moment.
Elsa Lee wheeled suddenly and glanced scornfully at her sister.
"Why don't you tell him?" she demanded. "Why don't you say you
didn't give the bromides?"
"Why not?"
Mrs. Johns raised herself on her elbow and looked at me.
"Why should we?" she asked. "How do we know what you are giving
him? You are not friendly to him or to us. We know what you are
trying to do--you are trying to save yourself, at any cost. You
put a guard at the companionway. You rail off the deck for our
safety. You drop the storeroom key in Mr. Turner's cabin, where
Elsa will find it, and will be obliged to acknowledge she found it,
and then take it from her by force, so you can show it later on
and save yourself!"
Elsa turned on her quickly.
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