"The woman who watched Mavis Durham has been stabbed to the heart, a couple of days ago."
"Alas! for your comedy," cried the actress, "it has changed into a tragedy. What of the girl herself?"
"She is a fugitive, the police are looking for her."
Mrs. Pelham Odin screamed melodramatically. "Is she accused?"
"Yes. And color is lent to the accusation by the scandal of Major Rebb, who, as I told you, spread the report that she was insane."
Mrs. Pelham Odin gave a second scream, and flung up her hand. "Hold!" she cried, in her deep voice. "Do I understand that this unfortunate young woman has given way to her mania and has murdered----"
"No one. I tell you she is not insane," snapped Haskins tartly.
"But the corpse? Account for the corpse."
"I can't, unless Rebb himself murdered the woman, so as to get Mavis placed in an asylum, and so be free to enjoy her money."
Mrs. Pelham Odin rose and walked to and fro with a nervous shudder, less feigned than real, although theatrical instinct made her accentuate it. "I don't love Major Rebb," she said, after a pause. "I think I told you that before. All the same, he would never, never go so far as crime."