She sent for me before she went, and
I saw she had been crying.
"How can I thank you, Miss Innes?" she said. "You have taken me
on faith, and--you have not asked me any questions. Some time,
perhaps, I can tell you; and when that time comes, you will all
despise me,--Halsey, too."
I tried to tell her how glad I was to have had her but there was
something else she wanted to say. She said it finally, when she
had bade a constrained good-by to Halsey and the car was waiting
at the door.
"Miss Innes," she said in a low tone, "if they--if there is any
attempt made to--to have you give up the house, do it, if
you possibly can. I am afraid--to have you stay."
That was all. Gertrude went into town with her and saw her
safely home. She reported a decided coolness in the greeting
between Louise and her mother, and that Doctor Walker was there,
apparently in charge of the arrangements for the funeral. Halsey
disappeared shortly after Louise left and came home about nine
that night, muddy and tired. As for Thomas, he went around
dejected and sad, and I saw the detective watching him closely at
dinner. Even now I wonder--what did Thomas know? What did he
suspect?
At ten o'clock the household had settled down for the night.
Liddy, who was taking Mrs. Watson's place, had finished examining
the tea-towels and the corners of the shelves in the cooling-
room, and had gone to bed. Alex, the gardener, had gone heavily
up the circular staircase to his room, and Mr.
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