"All right, sir, I"ll go."
Profiting by Mr. Cooley"s back being turned, she slipped out of the room. No one noticed her departure. All were talking at the same time.
The lawyer, conversing in a low tone with Jimmy, was impatient to bring matters to a head. Turning to the commission he demanded:
"Well, gentlemen, what is your decision?"
"I have expressed my opinion," said Dr. Zacharie calmly.
"Yes," said the examiner hesitatingly. "What do you think, Professor?"
"I"d like to study the case a little more," answered Dr. Bodley. "It has a great many points of interest." Ticking off with his fingers, he went on: "A self-evident delusion--a possible--and sporadic indications of general derangement."
"But there"s no absolute evidence of derangement," objected the examiner.
"You can never tell what may develop," insisted Professor Bodley.
"Quite true," said Dr. Zacharie, quickly rubbing his hands.
"Of course," remarked the examiner sagely, "that applies to any of us."
"My client must be protected," insisted Mr. Cooley, "prevention is a d---- sight better than cure--that"s scientific, isn"t it?"
"Not quite the way you express it, Mr. Cooley," replied the examiner dryly. "I confess I"d like to see her again, she"s an interesting subject."
"Quite so--quite so," puffed Professor Bodley bombastically. "She ought to be watched--no doubt about that--and I haven"t the slightest hesitation in recommending that she be sent to Sea Rest, Tocquencke----"
"For a few months, at least," put in Dr. Zacharie.
"A splendid idea!" exclaimed Mr. Cooley, rubbing his hands. "You can watch the case together-- I"ll retain you both. It"s not a question of fees--any sum you ask is yours. Mr. Marsh is most anxious to do all he can for her."
The doctors looked at Jimmy, who nodded acquiescence. Mr. Cooley continued:
"Take her under your own charge, gentlemen. Of course, her counsel will get out a habeas corpus and make all possible effort to obstruct justice, but, in the meantime, she goes to Sea Rest. Will you make out the certificate?"
"Very well," said Professor Bodley pompously. Turning to the examiner, he asked: "Have you any objection, doctor?"
The examiner shrugged his shoulders.
"No, no; no positive objection--merely a natural disinclination to jump hastily at conclusions." Looking toward Dr. Zacharie, he said:
"You are positive, doctor?"
"Positive!"
"And you, Professor?" he asked, looking at Professor Bodley.
"Not exactly positive," replied the Professor, "but I think we shall be on the safe side if we study the case for a few weeks."
"For a few weeks? Very well, I"ll make out the certificate."
The examiner produced blanks, and Mr. Cooley got busy getting pens and ink. While he was thus engaged Mrs. Parkes reentered. An affirmative sign of the head a.s.sured Tod that the message was delivered.
"You"d better telephone up to Tocquencke that you"re coming," said the examiner, as he made out the certificate.
"That"s already arranged for," Mr. Cooley said, beaming with satisfaction. "She"s to have the best suite of rooms, the best attendance, everything that the most lavish expenditure can purchase.
Oh, she will be well taken care of. By the way, Dr. Zacharie, I"m going to recommend your nomination for Health Officer of this Port, and if the Big Chief Cooley recommends anything it"s "_un fait accompli_." as the girls from Paris say; in other words, a sure thing."
"Thank you, counsellor," said Dr. Zacharie, bowing and handing him the certificate.
"Thank you. Now, madam," smirked Mr. Cooley, turning to Mrs. Parkes and scarcely able to contain his satisfaction, "will you please tell Miss Marsh that we"re waiting for her?"
The landlady crossed the parlor and entered Paula"s room, while the lawyer, with a chuckle, showed Jimmy the certificate.
"This simplifies matters, eh?" said Mr. Cooley, with a broad grin.
"It"s taken a long time, Counsellor."
"Great bodies move slowly, James, but they move."
Suddenly Mrs. Parkes reappeared precipitately, her manner all fl.u.s.tered.
"Is she ready?" demanded the lawyer.
"She"s gone, sir," replied Mrs. Parkes, in consternation.
"Gone--where?" roared Mr. Cooley.
"I think she"s gone over to Jersey to get married, Bascom," said Tod, with a grin.
"Quick!" cried Mr. Cooley. "She can"t be gone far. My automobile is downstairs--come!"
Cooley went out hurriedly, followed by Jimmy.
CHAPTER XVI.
Completely dazed, quite ignorant as to where she was going, hardly knowing where she was, so quickly had events followed each other, Paula found herself on the upper deck of a ferryboat which was churning its way out of the New York slip, bound for Jersey City. At her side stood Tod, whose eyes, a.s.sisted by a powerful fieldgla.s.s, were riveted on the now fast-receding ferryhouse, trying to distinguish among the belated arrivals who had rushed up at the last minute, only to miss the boat, the disappointed faces of Mr. Cooley and Jimmy Marsh.
The day was superb, and in the swirling river, tinted a glorious blue by the bright sunshine, flocks of white seagulls rode buoyantly on the dancing waves. A magnificent view was before them. Ahead lay New Jersey and the wide stretch of land-locked water which forms Manhattan"s matchless harbor. Close by, on the left, Governor"s Island appeared as a splotch of inviting green in the blue expanse; farther South soared the n.o.ble figure of Liberty holding aloft the torch that enlightens the world. Away to the East smiled the green hills of Staten Island, and farther on were the fortified Narrows and Sandy Hook, with the open sea beyond.
The ever-busy river was literally alive with craft of every kind. The swift ferryboats hurrying from sh.o.r.e to sh.o.r.e, the countless little tugs, puffing and whistling as they darted, mosquito-like, here and there, graceful sailing vessels staggering along under clouds of canvas, stately ocean liners pa.s.sing majestically out to sea--all this made up a spectacle of which the eye could never tire.
But both Paula and her escort were too much preoccupied to pay proper attention to the beauty of their surroundings. The eyes of both were turned anxiously in the direction of the receding sh.o.r.e.
"It"s all right!" said Tod rea.s.suringly, as he lowered the gla.s.s. "I don"t see anything of them."