“Now, what are you talking about?”
Mrs. Burton regarded him as if she had suddenly realized he was a raving maniac. And by way of justifying her inspiration he stumbled on blindly:
“I don’t know––you see, it’s this way. Gladwin and I only found it out this afternoon––quite by accident. And we decided to save her.”
“That’s enough––stop!” cried Mrs. Burton. “You’re talking all this nonsense to detain us. But I won’t stay a minute longer. Come, Sadie, we will go to the police station. I’ll never rest until I have that monster in jail.”
And with another dagger glance at Barnes she swept her niece and herself out of the room and out of the house to the waiting automobile.
Barnes gripped his forehead in both hands to steady his reeling brain.
“Isn’t that just like a woman,” he complained. “After explaining explicitly she’s going to have him arrested. But, by Jove! I must find Travers and warn him that the police are on his track.”
Seizing his hat and stick he rushed out into the night, just in time to see Mrs. Burton’s––or rather Jabez Hogg’s––big car glide away from the curb and shoot down the avenue like a vast projectile.