Тайна загадочной лестницы [with w_cat] | страница 57

[844] "Dr. Morrison wants Miss Flora to go to the hospital right away, but she refuses. She says she won't leave here."

[845] Helen said that the physician was still upstairs attending her great-grandmother.

[846] "When did she become ill?" Nancy asked. "Did something in particular bring on the attack?”

[847] Helen nodded. "Yes. It was very frightening. Miss Flora, Aunt Rosemary, and I were in the kitchen talking about supper. They wanted to have a special dish to surprise you, because they knew you were dreadfully upset."

[848] "That was sweet of them," Nancy remarked. "Please go on, Helen."

[849] "Miss Flora became rather tired and Aunt Rosemary suggested that she go upstairs and lie down. She had just started up the stairway, when, for some unknown reason, she turned to look back. There, in the parlor, stood a man!"

[850] "A caller?" Nancy questioned.

[851] "Oh, no!" Helen replied. "Miss Flora said he was an ugly, horrible-looking person. He was unshaven and his hair was kind of long."

[852] "Do you think he was the ghost?" Nancy inquired.

[853] "Miss Flora thought so. Well, she didn't scream. You know, she's really terribly brave. She just decided to go down and meet him herself. And then, what do you think?"

"I could guess any number of things," Nancy replied. "What did happen?"

[854] Helen said that when Mrs. Turnbull had reached the parlor, no one was in it! "And there was no secret door open."

[855] "What did Miss Flora do then?" Nancy asked.

[856] "She fainted."

[857] At this moment a tall, slender, gray-haired man, carrying a physician's bag, walked down the stairs to the front hall. Helen introduced Nancy to him, then asked about the patient.

[858] "Well, fortunately, Miss Flora is going to be all right," said Dr. Morrison. "She is an amazing woman. With complete rest and nothing more to worry her, I believe she will be all right. In fact, she may be able to be up for short periods by this time tomorrow."

[859] "Oh, I'm so relieved," said Helen. "I'm terribly fond of my great-grandmother and I don't want anything to happen to her."

[860] The physician smiled. "I'll do all I can, but you people will have to help."

[861] "How can we do that?" Nancy asked quickly.

[862] The physician said that no one was to talk about the ghost. "Miss Flora says that she saw a man in the parlor and that he must have come in by some secret entrance. Now you know, as well as I do, that such a thing is not plausible."