"But I am innocent," shrieked Mrs. Crosbie.
"You are an accomplice after the fact," said Morgan. "Come!" He laid a heavy hand on Mrs. Crosbie's shoulder.
She started away with a terrible cry. Rebb flung himself forward to save her. Morgan grappled with him, and Mrs. Berch tried to snatch her daughter out of the way. The others were too startled to move. Mrs. Crosbie, who was mad with fear, tore herself from the grasp of Mrs. Berch, and ran towards the ruined wall, in the vain hope of escaping. "Save me--help me! I won't go to prison. I am innocent--innocent."
In deadly terror she scrambled over the fallen wall. Geary ran forward to stop her from escaping, while Morgan still fought with the Major, and the two policemen were trying to help their superior. On seeing the negro run after Mrs. Crosbie, the mother, silent and savage, moved swiftly across the grass in pursuit. She did not run, but she glided so rapidly that in a moment--as it seemed--she was over the ruins of the wall, and on the verge of the cliff along with Madge. The negro she pushed aside. As the others came running up she cried out: "Madge, let us die together." And before Mrs. Crosbie knew what was in her mother's mind she had leaped into the deep pool, holding her dearly loved daughter, for whom she had sinned so deeply. There was a loud splash, the agonized scream of Mrs. Crosbie, and then silence.
* * * * * * * * *
Six months later a happy young couple were in the drawing-room of a handsome house in Kensington. With them was Mrs. Pelham Odin, looking more stately and graceful than ever. She had established herself on the sofa in her regulation attitude, and Mavis was seated in a low chair beside her. Gerald stood with his back to the fire, smoking, and looked extremely happy. His happiness was reflected in the face of his young wife, and Mrs. Pelham Odin presided over the joint enjoyment like a fairy godmother.
"You are both looking splendid," she said, in her deep, clear voice, "and I am glad to see you both after your sojourn abroad. But do you think it was kind to leave England without seeing me?"
Mavis caught the two hands of the old actress. "No, it was not kind. I said that it was not kind. But Gerald----"
"Gerald said that it was necessary," said that young man coolly. "Dear Mrs. Pelham Odin look at the circumstances. There was the inquest on the bodies of those two poor women, who drowned themselves in the Peace Pool--in Mother Carey's Peace Pool."
"I thought that Mrs. Berch dragged her daughter to death."