"Miss Vigers? But she resigned! She had been meaning to leave! She told us so! Do you mean that she didn't want to leave? Do you mean that she had to?"
"Have you ever seen a liner launched? You press an electric button, you know—just a touch—it's awfully simple——" She paused, eyes dancing.
But Alwynne had no answering twinkle.
"I wouldn't have believed it," she said slowly. Then, distractedly, "But why, Clare, why? What possessed you?"
"She got in my way," said Clare indolently.
Alwynne turned on her, eyes blazing.
"You mean to say—you deliberately did that poor old thing out of her job? If you did——But I don't believe it. If you did——Clare, excuse me—but I think it was beastly."
"Demon! With the highest respect to you——" quoted Clare, tongue in cheek.
But Alwynne was not to be pacified.