"Oh," she exclaimed, "how perfect that is! How exact!"
Mrs. Lewis looked at her coldly, as much as to say she had not intended to be, and, as a matter of fact, had not been so humorous as all that.
Then Meta returned to the room, and with the manner of beaming surprise which never left her—except on the rare occasions when she simply burst into tears—she announced that there was a policeman in the hall, come after Mr. Rossiter. At least, this was what she seemed to say; but there was enough doubt about it to keep the two mothers fairly calm, while Letitia ran out of the room to find out the truth
"Do you suppose he's met with some horrible accident?" Mrs. Rossiter asked tremulously.
"More likely to have parked his car somewhere he ought not to have," answered Mrs. Lewis; but Letitia, knowing her well, saw that her secret thought was darker than her words. All three women remained silent after this, listening for some sound from the hall, until Letitia came back. She was holding herself very straight and her face was white.
She came straight to the table and said in a low firm voice, "There is some mistake, of course; but this man has come to arrest Roger."
"To arrest him!" cried his mother. "For what?"
"For murder," answered Letitia simply.
It is only men who break news with slow agony to women—women are more direct in dealing with each other.