“What have I done?” she stammered, laying her hand almost imploringly on the girl’s shoulder. “God forgive me for ever asking Julian Barclay here!” and turning she stumbled blindly from the room, and passing Lois McLane in the hall without a word of greeting, made her way into her bedroom and flung herself on her lounge.
Lois stopped to look after Mrs. Ogden in bewilderment; it was the first time she had known her to be guilty of rudeness; then she continued more slowly to Ethel’s bedroom.
Ethel was still standing where Mrs. Ogden had left her, and her face lighted with relief at sight of Lois.
“I’m so glad you’ve come,” she said, clinging to Lois as they embraced. “I am frightened, Lois, frightened,” and a sob broke from her.
Lois’ arms closed about her lovingly. “Come and tell me all about it,” she coaxed; and Ethel, her natural reserve giving way to her longing for comfort and help, poured her hopes and fears into Lois’ sympathetic ears.
“Let me understand clearly, Ethel, the reasons you have for thinking Julian guilty of Dwight Tilghman’s death?” Lois’ expression had grown graver and graver as Ethel’s account had progressed. “They were both from California; both on the same train; they played cards the night before the murder and Julian lost a large sum of money to Dwight which was strangely missing after his death; Dwight remained alone in the smoker while the train was in Atlanta and was there poisoned. Julian, among the men who might have poisoned Dwight, is the only one who cannot give an alibi; and your mother passing along the train-shed, saw a hand wearing a peculiar ring, holding a small paper aloft in a suspicious position, and this ring——”
“Is here,” springing to her feet Ethel took the ring and a letter from her bureau drawer. “See, they are identical,” spreading out the sketch of the hand sent by her mother. “And appearances lead me to believe that Julian gave me the ring that it might not be found in his possession——”
“Because it might be incriminating evidence?” finished Lois. “Do you not think it just possible that Julian gave it to you because he wanted you to have something of his?” Ethel flushed and glanced up eagerly, hopefully. “Have you other reasons for thinking Julian connected with Dwight’s death?”
“Yes,” Ethel hesitated; then plunged ahead with her story. “The night I saw Ito dash out of the house with Julian in pursuit of him, I heard Julian call to Ito in a guarded voice, ‘Ito, I have no more money to spare.’” Ethel paused again. “It may be that this Ito may have seen Julian poison Dwight Tilghman and be blackmailing him.”
Lois looked at her pityingly. “It may be,” she repeated mechanically. “I—” A discreet knock on the door interrupted her.