Then, of a sudden, without hint or warning to lessen the shock of it, the uplifted lid of the cabinet fell with a crash from the hand that upheld it, shivering the glass into fifty pieces, and Cleek, screwing round on his heel with a "jump" of all his nerves, was in time to see the figure of his host crumple up, collapse, drop like a thing shot dead, and lie foaming and writhing on the polished floor.
"Dad! Oh, heavens! Dad!" The cry was young Bawdrey's.

He seemed fairly to throw himself across the intervening space and to reach his father in the instant he fell.

"Now you know! Now you know!" he went on wildly, as Cleek dropped down beside him and began to loosen the old man's collar.
"It's like this always; not a hint, not a sign, but just this utter collapse.

My God, what are they doing it with?
How are they managing it, those two?
They're coming, Headland.

Listen! Don't you hear them ?" The crash of the broken glass and the jar of the old man's fall had swept through all the house, and a moment later, headed by Mrs.Bawdrey herself, all the members of the little house-party came piling excitedly into the room.
The fright and suffering of the young wife seemed very real as she threw herself down beside her husband and caught him to her with a little shuddering cry.