"Yes. Just auditory hallucination, of course." "But Mark--" "Yes?" "A--a bell did ring. I mean, I had the crystal bell in my bag and it tinkled a little. Do you suppose--" "Of course not." But though he spoke swiftly he did not sound convincing. "This was a loud bell. Like a great gong." "But--I mean, Mark darling--a moment earlier you--had no pulse." "No pulse?" "And you weren't--breathing. Then the crystal bell tinkled and you--you...." "Nonsense! I know what you're thinking and believe me--it's nonsense!" "But Mark." She spoke carefully. "The driver of the other car. You had no sooner regained consciousness than he--" "He had a fractured skull!" Dr. Williams interrupted sharply. "The ambulance intern diagnosed it. Skull fractures often fail to show themselves and then--bingo, you keel over. That's what happened. Now let's say no more about it." "Of course." In the hall, the clock struck the quarter hour. "Shall I fix the phenobarbital now?" "Yes--no. Is David home?" She hesitated. "No, he hasn't got back yet." "Has he phoned? He knows he's supposed to be in by midnight at the latest." "No, he--hasn't phoned. But there's a school dance tonight." "That's no excuse for not phoning. He has the old car, hasn't he?" "Yes. You gave him the keys this morning, remember?" "All the more reason he should phone." Dr. Williams lay silent a moment. "Two o'clock is too late for a 17-year-old boy to be out." "I'll speak to him. He won't do it again. Now please, Mark, let me get you the phenobarbital. I'll stay up until David--" * * * * * The ringing phone, a clamor in the darkness, interrupted her. Mark Williams reached for it. The extension was beside his bed. "Hello," he said. And then, although she could not hear the answering voice, she felt him stiffen. And she knew. As well as if she could hear the words she knew, with a mother's instinct for disaster. "Yes," Dr. Williams said. "Yes ... I see ... I understand ... I'll come at once.... Thank you for calling." He slid out of bed before she could stop him. "An emergency call." He spoke quietly. "I have to go." He began to throw on his clothes. "It's David," she said. "Isn't it?" She sat up. "Don't try to keep me from knowing. It's about David." "Yes," he said. His voice was very tired. "David is hurt. I have to go to him. An accident." "He's dead." She said it steadily. "David's dead, isn't he, Mark?" He came over and sat beside her and put his arms around her. "Edith," he said. "Edith--Yes, he's dead. Forty minutes ago. The car--went over a curve. They have him--at the County morgue. They want me to--identify him. Identify him. Edith! You see, the car caught fire!" "I'm coming with you," she said. "I'm coming with you!" * * * * *