Mrs. Berch put a slim hand to her head. "I don't know exactly what took place," she said wearily and indifferently, "but somehow I got the knife, and in the struggle, in the darkness, I stabbed her to the heart. When she fell I was terrified at what I had done, and flung the knife into the long grass--the coral hand had long since fallen to the ground. Then I ran away back to the car. I found Madge had repaired the damage, which was slight. She saw blood on my dress. I told a lie, and we got into the car to fly. On the hill yonder"--she pointed over the ruined wall towards Denleigh--"the car went wrong again. Then it was that we saw a man come running up. It was Geary, but Madge started the car, and we managed to get away. I was not sure if he recognized us."
"You--you," said Geary, with a grin, "in de lamp. I saw you when I come to town wid my massa. But I say noting till my massa want to hang me. I come back and look for dis gal in de house."
"I had fled by that time with Arnold," said Mavis faintly.
"Is that all?" asked Morgan formally, turning to Mrs. Berch.
"What else would you have?" she asked.
"Did your daughter know of----"
"She knew nothing."
"I only knew that my mother had accidentally killed Bellaria," cried Mrs. Crosbie foolishly. "I made her tell me because of the blood----"
"You idiot," said the mother between her teeth.
"Then," said Morgan officially, "I must arrest you both."