On leaving him the Jew halted in the door and delivered himself of
a little speech. His voice was stern, sharp, menacing.

"Until you are cured," he said, "you will not put your foot outside
this room. In this house are other inmates who, as you have already
learned, are in a highly nervous state. The brains of some are
unbalanced. With my associate and myself they are familiar, but the
sight of a stranger roaming through the halls might upset them.
They might attack you, might do you bodily injury. If you wish for
anything, ring the electric bell beside your bed and an attendant
will come. But you yourself must not leave the room."

He closed the door, and Ford, seating himself in front of the coal
fire, hastily considered his position. He could not persuade
himself that, strategically, it was a satisfactory one. The girl he
sought was on the top or fourth floor, he on the second. To reach
her he would have to pass through Well- lighted halls, up two
flights Of stairs and try to enter a door that would undoubtedly be
locked. On the other hand, instead of wandering about in the rain
outside the house, he was now established on the inside, and as an
inmate. Had there been time for a siege, he would have been
confident of success. But there was no time. The written call for
help had been urgent. Also, the scream he had heard, while the
manner of the two men had shown that to them it was a commonplace,
was to him a spur to instant action. In haste he knew there was the
risk of failure, but he must take that risk.

He wished first to assure himself that Cuthbert was within call,
and to that end put out the lights and drew aside the curtains that