Clavering hoped he had not betrayed his astonishment; but she had seen the momentary flash in his eyes and the involuntary closing of his hand.
“Now,” he said firmly, “that can’t be quite straight, and one should be very careful about saying that kind of thing.”
The girl looked at him steadily. “Still, I took a wallet with dollar bills in it to Mr. Grant—at night. I met him on the bluff, and Miss Torrance sent them him.”
It was possible that Clavering would have heard more had he followed the line of conduct he had adopted at first; but he stood thoughtfully silent instead, which did not by any means please his companion as well. He had a vague notion that this was a mistake; but the anger he did not show was too strong for him. Then, he fancied he heard a footstep on the stairway, and laughed in a somewhat strained fashion.
“Well, we needn’t worry about that; and I guess if I stay here any longer, Mr. Torrance will be wondering where I have gone,” he said.
He went out by one door, and a few moments later Miss Schuyler came in by another. She swept a hasty glance round the hall, most of which was in the shadow, and her eyes caught the faint sparkle at the maid’s neck. The next moment the girl moved back out of the light; but Miss Schuyler saw her hand go up, and fancied there was something in it when it came down again. She had also heard a man’s footstep, and could put two and two together.
“Miss Torrance wants the silk. It was here, but I don’t see it,” she said. “Who went out a moment or two ago?”
The girl opened a bureau. “Mr. Clavering. He left his cigar-case when he first came in.”
She took out a piece of folded silk, and Miss Schuyler noticed the fashion in which she held it.
“It is the lighter shade we want; but the other piece is very like it. Unroll it so I can see it,” she said.