“You saw Etta?” Iris asked.
She dropped weakly into a chair and for a moment looked as though she might faint.
“We thought no one in the world knew about her,” she said very low. “For her sake we have kept Cora and Henry here during all these years. What will the neighbors think if they learn it?”
“They shall never hear it from us,” Doris replied, “but we are unwilling to permit the Sullys to desert her.”
“You’re crazy!” Henry shouted. “We wouldn’t think of leaving her!”
“Then why are your suitcases packed?” Doris demanded.
Henry could not answer, and Ronald, seeing that the man was throwing suspicion upon himself, stepped again into the breach.
“All this talk is getting us nowhere,” he said. “Obviously, the girls took the papers from the desks and are only trying to save themselves.” He turned to the Misses Gates and a false note came into his voice. “Of course, I realize that you ladies regret this exceedingly and no doubt feel sorry for them. Under the circumstances I suggest that the matter be dropped without placing charges against them.”
“The matter will not be dropped!” Doris cried. “We’ll sift it to the bottom right now.”
“And the easiest way is to look in Henry’s suitcase,” Kitty added. “You’ll find the papers there!”