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Molly, I thought you had gone home. Edward told me he was
sending you home an hour ago.”
    “He told me to go,” said Mary in a sort of stumbling whisper. “He
told me to go—but I wanted to wait and go with him. I knew he 'd be
upset—I knew he 'd feel it—when it was all over. I wanted to be with
him—oh, Liz—”
    “Mary, what is it?”
    Mary put up a shaking hand.
    “I 'll tell you—don't stop me—there 's no time—I 'll tell
you—oh, I 'm telling you as fast as I can.”
    She spoke in a series of gasps.
    “I went into your little room behind the dining-room. I knew no one
would come. I knew I should hear any one coming or going. I opened the
door into the dining-room—just a little—”
    “Mary, what is it?” said Elizabeth. She put her arm round her
sister, but Mary pushed her away.
    “Don't—there 's no time. Let me go on. David came down. He came
into the dining-room. He talked to Edward. He said, 'I can't sign the
certificate,' and Edward said, 'Why not?' and David said,
'Because'—Liz—I can't—oh, Liz, I can't—I can't.”
    Mary caught suddenly at Elizabeth's arm and began to sob. She had no
tears—only hard sobs. Her pretty oval face was all white and drawn.
There were dark marks like bruises under her hazel eyes. The little
dark rings of hair about her forehead were damp.
    “Dearest—darling—my Molly dear,” said Elizabeth. She held Mary to
her, with strong supporting arms, but the shuddering sobs went on.
    “Liz—it was poison. He says it was poison. He says there was poison
in the tea—arsenic poison—and Edward took him the tea. Liz—Liz, why
do such awful things happen? Why does God let them happen?”
    Elizabeth was much taller than her sister—taller and stronger. She
released herself from the clutching fingers, and let both her hands
fall suddenly and heavily upon Mary's shoulders.
    “Molly, what are you talking about?” she cried.
    Mary was startled into a momentary self-control.
    “Mr. Mottisfont,” she said. “David said it was poison—poison, Liz.”
    Her voice fell to a low horrified whisper at the word, and then rose
on the old gasp of, “Edward took him the tea.” A numbness came upon
Elizabeth. Feeling was paralysed. She was conscious neither of horror,
anxiety, nor sorrow. Only her brain remained clear. All her
consciousness seemed to have gone to it, and it worked with an
inconceivable clearness and rapidity.
    “Hush, Mary,” she said. “What are you saying? Edward—”
    Mary pushed her away.
    “Of course not,” she said. “Liz, if you dared—but you don't—no one
could really—Edward of all people. But there 's all the talk, the
scandal—we can't have it. It must be stopped. And we 're losing time,
we 're losing time dreadfully. I must go to David, and stop him before
he writes to any one, or sees any one. He must sign the certificate.”
    Elizabeth stood quite still for a moment. Then she went to the
wash-stand, poured out a glass of water, and came back to Mary.
    “Drink this, Molly,” she said. “Yes, drink it all, and pull yourself
together. Now listen to me. You can't possibly go to David.”
    “I must go, I must,” said Mary. Her tone hardened. “Will you come
with me, Liz, or must I go alone?”
    Elizabeth took the empty glass and set it down.
    “Molly, my dear, you must listen. No—I 'm thinking of what 's best
for every one. You don't want any talk. If you go to David's house at
this hour—well, you can see for yourself. No—listen, my dear. If I
ring David up, and ask him to come here at once—at once—to see
me, don't you see how much better that will be?”
    Mary's colour came and went. She stood irresolute.
    “Very well,” she said at last. “If he 'll come. If he won't, then I
'll go to him, and I don't care what you say, Elizabeth—and you must
be quick—quick.”
    They went downstairs in silence. Mr. Mottisfont's study was in
darkness, and Elizabeth brought in the lamp