This astonishing speech was from the lips of Minna Varian, who suddenly appeared in the kitchen doorway.
She was smiling a little, she looked tired and wan, but she was in no way excited or hysterical. She wore a trailing blue wrapper, and her hair was falling from its combs and hairpins.
“Mrs Varian!” exclaimed Potter, springing to her side. “Why are you here?”
“I heard voices and I wondered who was down here. Where are my people? Who are you two strange men?”
“There, there,” said Hannah, advancing and putting an arm round her mistress, “let me take you back to your room. Come now.”
“Just a minute,” and Potter looked keenly at the lady. “Say that again, Mrs Varian. Your daughter quarrels with her father often?”
“All the time,” Minna Varian laughed. “I have to make peace between them morning, noon and night. Oh, why do they do it? Fred is so dear and sweet to me,—then he will scold Betty for the least trifle! And Betty never differs from me in her opinions, but she is antagonistic to her father, always. Can you explain it?”
Mrs Varian’s large gray eyes stared at Potter, and then turned to Bill Dunn. It was clear to be seen that she was still partly under the influence of the opiate effects, and that her memory of the recent tragedy was utterly obliterated.
“Take her to her room,” Potter said quickly, to Hannah. “If she comes to down here there’ll be a fearful scene. How did she get away?”
“There was nobody in my room,” Minna said, overhearing. “Who should be there? I’m not ill. I woke up from a nap, and I heard talking,—my room is right above this, so I came down. Where’s Miss Betty, Hannah? Kelly, what are you doing?”