"What's that, Mama?"
"I don't know, my darling."
"May we play with them?"
"What would you like to play?"
"We want to throw them."
"No, don't do that. But I'll make you a new doll-carriage and these will be lovely wheels."
The children assented and Amanda brought a pair of scissors in order to make holes in the little wheels. But they were too hard and the points of the blades slipped.
"Ask father to use his small gimlet."
Amanda ran to the open window behind which he for whom all this was prepared was quietly making out his monthly bills.
Toni's breath failed. If he recognised the poisonous fruits, it was all over with her plan. But the risk was not to be avoided.