"Will."

As the last word was uttered her air of frightened defiance was
swept away. With a cry of anguish, she swayed to her feet. "No,
no, doctor, you must not, you must not," she cried with
outstretched arms. "Why do you pick out those words of all
others? Can it be--" If I had not caught her I believe she would
have fainted.

The indicator showed a heart alternately throbbing with feverish
excitement and almost stopping with fear. What would Kennedy do
next, I wondered, determined to shut him off as soon as I
possibly could. From the moment I had seen her I had been under
her spell. Mine should have been Fletcher's place, I knew, though
I cannot but say that I felt a certain grim pleasure in
supporting even momentarily such a woman in her time of need.

"Can it be that you have guessed what no one in the world, no,
not even dear old Jack, dreams Oh, I shall go mad, mad, mad!"

Kennedy was on his feet in an instant, advancing toward her. The
look in his eyes was answer enough for her. She knew that he
knew, and she paled and shuddered, shrinking away from him.

"Miss Bond," he said in a voice that forced attention--it was low
and vibrating with feeling--"Miss Bond, have you ever told a lie
to shield a friend?"

"Yes," she said, her eyes meeting his.