"But why? You steal a letter belonging to my guest, which you must have thought important, and then burn it unread. Do you expect me to understand your action? The thing seems purposeless."
"It isn't easy to explain, but I must try," she answered, nerving herself for an effort.
"That's obvious."
She hesitated a moment and then spoke bravely.
"I knew that something not right was going on at Appleyard."
"Ah! Did you know what it was?"
Elsie made a negative sign.
"I really didn't want to know; but I believed that the letter was dangerous. If I had read it, I might have felt forced to tell what I found out; so I put it straight into the fire."
"Knowing that its loss might embarrass Williamson or me!"
"Yes," she said; "I thought of that. But I felt it would be safer for us all if I burned the paper."