They all assented.
"Well then, why spoil her chances?" He shrugged his shoulders and replaced his cigar.
"Why, there are the Burmesters to think of," cried Sybil Ayres indignantly. "And the Helstons, whom she has deceived all these years."
"That's so," said Amurrica slowly. "That's so, certainly."
"You had better tell us what you know; we are her cousins," said Theo.
"Well, what I'm tellin' you now, I'm prepared to swear to, before any magistrate in this county," he replied, as if reluctantly. "It's simply this. Mestaer carried off Millie Lutwyche to his house and kept her there. After some days he deserted her, went off and enlisted—and the chaplain chipped in, and sent her home to her friends. Arnie Lutwyche will tell you all whether that's true or not, and you must decide whether Burmester ought to be told."
Madeline and Theo stood looking at one another.
"And she pretended to be so honest, and so disgusted with us for doing things on the quiet!" gasped Madeline at last. "Father ought to be told. Go, Theo, tell him to come at once and hear what Major Otis has to say."
Meanwhile Lance, in white heat, made his way to where his party were standing.
"Melicent," he said, "do you know there's a brute of a chap called Otis here to-day—a fellow that was notorious in Africa for all kinds of rascality—telling everybody that he knows you, and has got a brother of yours over here with him as his servant. What does he mean by such cheek?"