Her eyes widened like a frightened child's. "I dare not!" she whispered. "You don't know! He is a terrible man!"
"I'll back you up," I said.
"No! No!" she cried. "I will not! I cannot! Please go!"
I took a new tack.
"Why don't you ask me the result of my work the last few weeks?" I asked.
"What do you mean?"
I had brought for the purpose, that report of Mr. Dunsany's in which Foxy had told how the theft of Irma's pearls had been accomplished. I explained to Irma how this report had been secured, and then I read it to her. Joy and horror struggled together in her face.
"You knew this long ago!" she cried accusingly. "Why didn't you tell me before?"
"Roland forbade it. I am breaking my word to him in telling you now."
"He no longer cares then what I think!"