"Go back with her to the house," he says. "This may be a stupid hoax, or a quarrel exaggerated. See to it yourself, and hear what the doctor says. If it is serious, send word back here directly, and let nobody enter the place or leave it till we come. Stop!
You know the form if any statement is volunteered?""Yes, sir. I am to caution the persons that whatever they say will be taken down, and may be used against them.""Quite right. You'll be an Inspector yourself one of these days.
Now, miss!" With that he dismissed her, under my care.
Lehigh Street was not very far off--about twenty minutes' walk from the station. I confess I thought the Inspector had been rather hard on Priscilla. She was herself naturally angry with him. "What does he mean," she says, "by talking of a hoax? I wish he was as frightened as I am. This is the first time I have been out at service, sir--and I did think I had found a respectable place."I said very little to her--feeling, if the truth must be told, rather anxious about the duty committed to me. On reaching the house the door was opened from within, before I could knock. Agentleman stepped out, who proved to be the doctor. He stopped the moment he saw me.