"Sensible of you, I'm sure."
"You really mean to accuse me of this abominable thing?"
"I know no reason to believe you incapable of it. And you did meet a man out there last night."
"Then why do you hesitate to inform Mrs. Gosnold? Isn't it your duty?"
"I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, providing you--"
"Have you consulted Mr. Lyttleton about this?"
That shot told. Mrs. Standish paused with an open mouth. "Mr. Lyttleton!" she exclaimed, recovering, in a tone that implied complete ignorance of the existence of any such person.
"Mr. Lyttleton," Sally repeated. "You know very well it was he to whom I was talking out there--and I know you know it."
"Say I do, for the sake of the argument; do you imagine Mr. Lyttleton would sacrifice himself--admit that he got up and left the house, for whatever reason, last night after going to bed--to save you?"
"No," Sally conceded; "I don't expect anything from either you or any of your friends. But Mr. Lyttleton will find the facts hard to deny. There was a witness, you must know--though I've no doubt it's news to you. He wouldn't be likely to mention that to you. In fact, I can see from your face he didn't. But there was."