To have vitriol thrown is bad enough, but when the act
leads to two deaths--for Maraquito was already dead, and it
seemed probable that Lord Caranby would follow--it is enough
to shake the nerves of the strongest. Mallow took Juliet down
and placed her in a cab. Then he promised to see her that
same evening, and to tell her of Lord Caranby's progress.
When the cab drove away he went again upstairs. As he went he
could not help shuddering at the thought of the danger from
which Juliet had escaped. He remembered how Maraquito had
threatened to spoil the beauty of the girl, but he never
thought she would have held to her devilish purpose.
Moreover, he could not understand how Maraquito in disguise
came to see Caranby. The disguise itself was an obvious
necessity to escape the police. But why should she have been
with his uncle and why should Juliet have come also? It was
to gain an answer to these questions that Cuthbert hurried to
the sitting-room.
Lord Caranby was no longer there. The doctor had ordered him
to be taken to his bedroom, and when Mallow went thither he
met him at the door, "He is still unconscious," said the
doctor, "I must send for his regular medical attendant, as I
was only called in as an emergency physician."
"Is he very ill?"
"I think the shock will kill him. He is extremely weak, and
besides the shock of the vitriol being thrown, he has
sustained severe injuries about the head from fire.
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