Page:The Breath of Scandal (1922).djvu/56

 and stared up at him, he attempted to take the telephone from her.

"Let me talk to them," he begged.

But the voice at the other end was speaking and Marjorie was hearing something which made her grip the telephone in a spasm of terror; the voice ceased, and she could not reply. Gregg saw her try to speak, but her lips failed; she looked up at him. "Where's Veerage Street?" she cried to him.

"What?"

"Veerage Street, Gregg!"

"Never heard of it; why? Who's there?"

"Father! He's injured; at 4689 Veerage Street. They've sent for Doctor Grantham for him."

Gregg reached down and took the telephone from her trembling hands, and he said into the mouthpiece, "Hold the line a moment, please." A woman's voice said, "Very well," and Gregg placed the telephone on the stand with the receiver off the hook. "Come out, Marjorie," he begged. "I'll talk to them." He backed from the booth and Marjorie caught at the side of the doorframe, and pulled herself up and faced him.

"Who was that calling?" Gregg demanded of her.

"Doctor Grantham's office; the one at his house; the girl who stays there and takes his calls was talking to me, Gregg."

"Yes, go on," said Gregg. What she had told him, had been almost a relief; he had feared she might have been hearing more directly.

"Doctor Grantham is the surgeon, a friend of father's."

"I know Grantham," Gregg assured.

"Gregg!" She grasped the lapels of his coat with both her hands and clung to him in her sudden break