He was about to leave the office, when suddenly, through the window, he saw a lady and gentleman in the grounds making their way toward the building.
"h.e.l.lo!" he exclaimed, in astonishment. "It"s mother."
A moment later Mrs. Marsh, elegantly dressed in the latest fashion, entered, together with Dr. McMutrie. Tod hurried forward to greet her.
"h.e.l.lo, mother!" he cried. "Did you leave the machine outside?"
"Certainly-- I didn"t bring it in with me, you silly boy," she laughed.
Surprised at his fl.u.s.tered manner, she demanded: "Why are you so excited--what"s the matter?"
Quickly Tod introduced them.
"Mr. Ricaby--my mother! No time to explain." Quickly taking hold of the lawyer"s arm, he said: "Come--we don"t have to go far for the machine, it"s outside. You"ll be there and back before you know it. Then we"ll give Cooley the time of his life!"
He ran out of the office, followed in more dignified fashion by Mr.
Ricaby. While Mrs. Marsh stood looking after them in blank astonishment, trying to guess the reason for this hasty departure, Dr. McMutrie calmly drew off his gloves, and, approaching the desk, saluted the superintendent.
"Good morning, Mr. Spencer," he said blandly.
"Good morning, doctor," replied the superintendent, bowing. "They"re waiting for you impatiently upstairs, sir."
The examiner in lunacy turned and looked at Mrs. Marsh, who was still watching Tod and Mr. Ricaby as they hurried through the grounds.
"That"s my son!" she smiled. "The most extraordinary boy you ever met."
Dr. McMutrie smiled.
"Yes," he answered dryly, "it seems to me that we"ve met before. I think--when I was first called into this case."
"Oh, yes, Tod told me," she replied quickly. Then she went on: "Doctor, it was very good of you to bring me in here. They wouldn"t have let me in, but for you. I am very anxious to see my niece----"
"Yes, it is a very interesting case--very interesting, indeed," said the examiner, with a grave shake of the head. Thoughtfully he added: "Sometimes I have my doubts----"
"About her sanity?" she demanded, reddening.
He nodded gravely.
"Really, doctor?" she exclaimed, in well-feigned astonishment. "Then why should she be in such a place as this?"
The physician made no reply, but, turning to the superintendent, handed him a bundle of administration papers, which the latter proceeded to read. Mrs. Marsh quietly took a seat, awaiting her opportunity when she could approach the desk and request that Paula be sent for.
It was not without a severe struggle with her conscience that Mrs. Marsh had summoned up courage to come to "Sea Rest." While in a sense she was privy to the conspiracy which had robbed her niece of her liberty, she had known only vaguely what Jimmy and Cooley were doing. They were fighting for the control of the Marsh millions, that was all she cared to know. If her niece, who had come to America uninvited, got the worst of it, that was her affair. It was Tod who had awakened her to the full enormity of the crime which her husband and the lawyer had committed, and after that her conscience knew no peace. Mrs. Marsh was not a bad woman at heart. She was vain and luxury-loving, she had been weak and foolish, and she had allowed herself to be governed, to a great extent, by Jimmy"s loose code of morals. But she was not utterly depraved. Ever since the day she married Jimmy, she had known that her husband was unscrupulous, but that he would go as far as this she had never dreamed.
While she might have overlooked his less important peccadilloes, she was determined not to follow him further in his course of crime. They were in a desperate predicament for money, but that made no difference. She would rather sell everything she had in the world and be reduced to beggary rather than remain an accomplice in such a diabolical action as subjecting a perfectly sane young girl to the horrors of a lunatic asylum. Already she had had a stormy scene with Jimmy. She told him plainly that she had done with him, that she despised him and would leave him forever. And now, at Tod"s earnest entreaties, she had come herself to "Sea Rest" to find out what she could do to right a great wrong and help the poor motherless girl who was the victim of two scoundrels.
She was thus absorbed in her reflections when a loud chuckle close by her ear caused her to look up with a start. It was Tod who had returned after seeing Mr. Ricaby off. With a chortle of satisfaction, he said:
"He"s gone! If they don"t hit a tree and break their necks he ought to be back in half an hour." Surprised to find his mother still sitting there, he demanded: "Haven"t you seen Paula yet?"
"No," she answered. "I was waiting until the gentleman at the desk had time to attend to me."
But Tod was not of the kind who waits for the convenience of others.
Striding boldly to the desk, he said, in a tone of authority:
"Mr. Spencer, will you please send for Miss Marsh? My mother wishes to see her at once."
The superintendent, who was busy going over some papers with Dr.
McMutrie, looked up at this interruption and frowned.
"Impossible," he snapped. "The patient can"t be seen to-day."
"But this lady is Miss Marsh"s aunt," persisted Tod, not to be put off so easily.
The superintendent suddenly became more polite.
"Are you Mrs. James Marsh?" he asked, looking more closely at the visitor.
"Yes," she answered.
Taking up the telephone to communicate with the ward, he said:
"Well, I"ll see, but I"m afraid----"
"If he succeeds," laughed Tod, "it will be the first time your relationship to Jimmy has been of the slightest advantage."
"Won"t you help us, Dr. McMutrie?" pleaded Mrs. Marsh. "We"re so anxious to see her! That will be the second time you"ve come to our rescue.
Don"t say no. Let us see her, there"s a dear man! If you insist, they can"t refuse----"
The examiner turned to the superintendent.
"I don"t see why Mrs. Marsh should not see her niece. Send for her, Mr.
Spencer."
The superintendent hesitated.
"Mr. Cooley"s orders were very positive," he replied.
"Never mind Cooley"s orders," retorted the other. "The young lady is under my charge. Have her sent here at once. Is Professor Bodley here?"
"Yes--sir----"
The superintendent went out to obey the order, and the examiner turned to the others.
"Hum!" he smiled significantly. "I think I had better go and send her here myself." As he turned to go he bowed and said: "I shall see you again, I hope."
"I hope so," smiled Mrs. Marsh graciously. "We dine at the hotel at seven-thirty. Won"t you join us?"
Dr. McMutrie bowed.