[ARNOLD AND LAURA]
The lovers looked at one another in terror. Calvert, surprised by Laura's sudden entrance, had no time to compose his features. She, seeing his face, and coming to him already filled with suspicions against which she strove vainly to fight, reflected the paleness and haggard looks which startled her. For the moment both masks had dropped, and these human beings, devoured by terror, stared at one another as though the fabled Gorgon had changed them into stone. Arnold was the first to recover himself. He smoothed his face to a smile, and held out his hands, which she took in a passive manner. "I did not expect to see you here, dearest," he said, leading her to a chair. "But how ill you look. Nothing is wrong, I hope."
Laura sat down still gazing at him, but did not reply. "How does my sister's maid come to be in this house?" she asked abruptly.
"Your sister's maid?" he repeated, staring.
"Yes; Emily Doon. I saw her in the hall as the landlady let me in. As soon as she caught sight of me she vanished down the stairs to the basement. And those two men----"
"One question at a time, dear," said Arnold calmly. He had now quite recovered his composure, and was prepared to deal with the situation. "And I shall answer the last first. The men who left me are a Mr. Jasher and Professor----"
"Bocaros," cried Laura, striking her gloved hands together. "I thought I knew his face. I saw him once at Mrs. Baldwin's. He lives in a cottage across the meadow, and sometimes comes to borrow her paper. What a horrid face--what a detestable man!"
Arnold looked rather surprised at her vehemence. "I certainly do not like the professor, and I met him to-day for the first time. It happens oddly enough that we are connected."
"Connected?" echoed Laura. "Wait; I have some sort of idea. The professor told Mr. Tracey that he was a cousin of this woman who was killed at Ajax Villa----"
"Her mother was the aunt of Bocaros," explained Calvert.