Glad heard it and sprang to her
feet.
"Somethin 's 'appened," she cried
out. "Someone 's 'urt."
She was out of the room in a
breath's space. She stood outside
listening a few seconds and darted
back to the open door, speaking
through it. They could hear below
commotion, exclamations, the wail
of a child.
"Somethin 's 'appened to Bet!"
she cried out again. "I can 'ear the
child."
She was gone and flying down the
staircase; Antony Dart and Miss
Montaubyn rose together. The tumult
was increasing; people were
running about in the court, and it
was plain a crowd was forming by
the magic which calls up crowds as
from nowhere about the door. The
child's screams rose shrill above the
noise. It was no small thing which
had occurred.
"I must go," said Miss
Montaubyn, limping away from her
table. "P'raps I can 'elp. P'raps
you can 'elp, too," as he followed
her.
They were met by Glad at the
threshold. She had shot back to
them, panting.
"She was blind drunk," she said,
"an' she went out to get more. She
tried to cross the street an' fell under
a car. She'll be dead in five minits.
I'm goin' for the biby."
Dart saw Miss Montaubyn step
back into her room. He turned
involuntarily to look at her.
She stood still a second--so still
that it seemed as if she was not drawing
mortal breath. Her astonishing,
expectant eyes closed themselves,
and yet in closing spoke expectancy
still.
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