"If you don't contradict me, I must conclude that I am right. To speak plainly, it had come to his knowledge that Mrs. Elgar—no; I will call her Cecily, as I used to do when she was a child—that Cecily had visited my studio the evening before. You told him of that. How did you know of it, Mrs. Baske?"
Miriam answered in a hard, forced voice.
"I happened to be passing when she drove up in a cab."
"I understand. But you also told him how long she remained, and that when she left I accompanied her. How could you be aware of those things?"
She seemed about to answer, but her voice failed. She stood up, and began to move away. Instantly Mallard was at her side.
"You must answer me," he said, his voice shaking. "If I detain you by force, you must answer me."
Miriam turned to face him. She stood splendidly at bay, her eyes gleaming, her cheeks bloodless, her lithe body in an attitude finer than she knew. They looked into each other's pupils, long, intensely, as if reading the heart there. Miriam's eyes were the first to fall.
"I waited till she came out again."
"You waited all that time? In the road?"
"Yes."