''Now then,'' she said as she hauled me. ''What''s this? Kick your legs, will you, and trouble the doctors?''
Her mouth was close to my ear, her face behind me. I hardly knew what I was doing. All I knew was, she had me there, and Gentleman and Maud were escaping. I felt her speak, bent my head forward, then took it sharply back.
''Oh!'' she cried. Her grip grew slack. ''Oh! Oh!''
''She''s becoming demented,'' said Dr Christie. I thought he was talking about her. Then I saw he meant me. He took a whistle from his pocket and gave it a blow.
''For God''s sake,'' I cried, ''won''t you hear me? They have tricked me, they have tricked me—!''
The woman grabbed me again—about the throat, this time; and as I turned in her arms she hit me hard, with the points of her fingers, in my stomach. I think she did it in such a way, the doctors did not see. I gave a jerk, and swallowed my breath. Then she did it again. ''Here''s fits!'' she said.
''Watch your hands!'' called Dr Graves. ''She may snap.''
Meanwhile, they had got me into the hall of the house and th