"Vicky, we don't want to go into that!" said Ermyntrude hurriedly. "It'll be all over the country once anyone gets wind of it! Now, you hold your tongue, sweetie, like a good girl!"
"Oh, darling, did you want me not to mention Percy? I'm so sorry, but I haven't myself got any compunction, because he said he was the declared enemy of all our class, so that it seems awfully likely he did it."
"I must request you, miss, to give me a plain answer!" said the Inspector, regarding her with such an alert expression on his face that Mary's heart sank. "Who is this person you refer to as Percy?"
"Well, he's a Communist," said Vicky. "He's Percy Baker, and he works at Gregg's, in Burntside."
"What makes you suppose he might have had something to do with Mr. Carter's death? Had he got a grudge against him?"
"Yes, but it's a very sordid story," said Vicky softly. "You wouldn't like to hear it from an innocent girl's lips."
"I don't mind whose lips - look here, miss, are you trying to make game of me? Because, if so '
"Oh no, no, no!" faltered Vicky, looking the picture of scared virginity.
Ermyntrude arose majestically from the couch. "Is nothing sacred to you?" she demanded of the Inspector. "Won't you be satisfied until you've crucified me?"
"No, I won't - I mean, there's no question of me doing anything of the sort!" said the exasperated Inspector. "What I want, and what I'm going to have, is the truth! And I warn you, madam, you're doing yourself no good by carrying on in this unnatural way!"