Page:The Other House (London, William Heinemann, 1896), Volume 2.djvu/132

118 and his look at them strange; but they had no sooner done so than he made a violent gesture—a motion to check the downward rush that he evidently felt his aspect would provoke. It was so imperative that, coming up, he was with them before they had moved, showing them splashed, wet clothes and a little hard white face that Wilverley had never seen. "There has been an accident." Neither had Wilverley, gathered into three pair of ears, heard that voice.

The first effect of these things was to hold it an instant while Tony cried: "She's hurt?"

"She's killed?" cried Mrs. Beever.

"Stay where you are!" was the Doctor's stern response. Tony had given a bound, but, caught by the arm, found himself jerked, flaming red, face to face with Rose, who had been caught as tightly by the wrist. The Doctor closed his eyes for a second with this effort of restraint, but in the force he had put into it, which was not all of the hands, his captives submissively quivered. "You're not to go!" he declared quite as if it were for their own good.

"She's dead?" Tony panted.

"Who's with her—who was?" cried Rose.

"Paul's with her—by the water."