It was nearly half an hour before they dared ask him the question.
"Will he live?"
The doctor shook his head.
"It is very doubtful," he said. "You must send for the police at once,
you know. You, sir," he added, turning to Brendon, "had better take my
card round to the police station in Werner Street and ask that
Detective Dorling be sent round here at once on urgent business."
"Is it necessary to send for the police?" Anna asked.
"Absolutely," the doctor answered, "and the sooner the better. This is
a case either of suicide or murder. The police are concerned in it in
either event."
"Please go then, Mr. Brendon," Anna said. "You will come back, won't
you?"
He nodded cheerfully.
"Of course I will," he answered.
The doctor and Anna were left alone. Every moment or two he bent over
his patient. He seemed to avoid meeting Anna's eyes as much as
possible.
"Does he live here?" he asked her presently.
"No."
"Far away?"
"I have no idea," Anna answered.
"Who is the tenant of these rooms?" he inquired.
"I am."
"You will have no objection to his remaining here?" he asked. "A move
of any sort would certainly be fatal."
"Of course not," Anna said. "Had he better have a nurse? I will be
responsible for anything of that sort."
"If he lives through the next hour," the doctor answered, "I will send
some one. Do you know anything of his friends? Is there any one for
whom we ought to send?"
"I know very little of him beyond his name," Anna answered. "I know
nothing whatever of his friends or his home. He used to live in a
boarding-house in Russell Square. That is where I first knew him."
The doctor looked at her thoughtfully. Perhaps for the first time he
realized that Anna was by no means an ordinary person. His patient was
distinctly of a different order of life. It was possible that his
first impressions had not been correct.
"Your name, I believe, is----"
"Pellissier," Anna answered.
"Allow me," the doctor said, "to give you a word of advice, Miss
Pellissier. A detective will be here in a few moments to make
inquiries into this affair. You may have something to conceal, you may
not. Tell the whole truth. It always comes out sooner or later. Don't
try to shield anybody or hide anything. It is bad policy."
Anna smiled very faintly.
"I thank you for your advice," she said. "I can assure you that it was
quite unnecessary. I know less about this affair perhaps than you
suppose. What I do know I shall have no hesitation in telling anyone
who has the right to ask."
"Just so," the doctor remarked drily. "And if I were you I would keep
away from the fire."