“But I can’t believe it. Maybe—maybe somebody else did it. Barry——”
“Nonsense! Why should Barry do it, when he fully intended to marry her?”
“Oh, I don’t know! It’s all so confusing.”
“Not confusing; there’s no doubt she did the forging. But it’s a terrible state of affairs. I don’t want to be the one to accuse her.”
“Must you?”
“Well, I’d determined to sift things to the bottom to lay my hand on Eric’s murderer. Primarily to clear myself—for your sake. And, too, for the sake of justice and right. I’ll go now, Joyce, I must think this out alone. Good-bye, darling. Don’t worry. I’ll do only what is right, and—what you approve.”
XV
Natalie in Danger
“Natalie! What are you doing?”
Joyce entered Natalie’s room, to find her on her knees before an open trunk. Hats and gowns lay about the room, the wardrobe shelves were empty, and as the girl was fairly flinging wearing apparel into the tills, the question was superfluous.
“I’m packing,” the model answered, “to go away.”