She told the message without bias.
"He says that they have it on him on the dock that he is to be bounced.
He asked me to say this to you: that if he is to go, he'll go to-day." "What was his manner ?" Adelaide could not resist a note of enjoyment entering into her tone as she replied: "Insolent in the extreme." She was leaning against the wall at the foot of his bed, and though she was not looking at him, she felt his eyes on her.
"Adelaide," he said, "you should not have brought me that message." "You mean it is bad for your health to be worried, dearest ?" she asked in a tone so soft that only an expert in tones could have detected something not at all soft beneath it.

She glanced at her husband under her lashes.

Wasn't he any more an expert in her tones?
"I mean," he answered, "that you should have told him to go to the devil." "Oh, I leave that to you, Vin." She laughed, and added after a second's pause, "I was only a messenger." "Tell him I shall be down-town next week." "Oh, Vin, no; not next week." "Tell him next week." "I can't do that." "I thought you were only a messenger." "Your doctor would not hear of it.

It would be madness." Farron leaned over and touched his bell.

The nurse was instantly in the room, looking at Vincent, Adelaide thought, as a water-dog looks at its master when it perceives that a stick is about to be thrown into the pond.
"Miss Gregory," said Vincent, "there's a young man from my office down-stairs.