"She's a fool if she does!" she said, biting into her words.
So this young man went in for being a woman tamer, did he?—the mistress downstairs ordered to be civil and the maid upstairs ordered to confess. If she had time, she thought, it would amuse her to show him that things did not run so smoothly as that. She almost wished that Evans wouldn't confess. It would be worth losing her jewels to see his face when he came down to announce his failure.
Steps overhead, the door opened, a voice called, "Sheriff, get your men up here, will you?"
The sheriff's face lit up.
"Didn't I tell you?" he said. "He's done it!" He hurried out of the room.
When, a few minutes later, the district attorney came down he found Miss Bennett alone. He looked about quickly.
"Where's Miss Thorne?" he said.
Miss Bennett had not wanted Lydia to go—she had urged her not to. What difference did the Emmonses make in comparison with the jewels? But now she sprang to her defense.
"She was forced to go. She had a train to catch—a long-standing engagement. She was so sorry. She left all sorts of messages." This was not, strictly speaking, true.
O'Bannon smiled slightly.