Margaret came to my door, and when she knocked I controlled my voice and said:
"I am busy. Go away."
"O Nora dear, Mr. Hamilton is on the 'phone," she said. "He is calling from Richmond. He wants to speak to you, dearie."
"I will never speak to him again," I declared.
"O Nora," she said, "he is coming to you now. He is taking a special train. I am sure he can explain everything. He says that he can, dear."
"Everything is explained. I know now," I replied. Yes, that was true. I did know now.
I went stealing down the stairs on tiptoe. They had relaxed their guard, and I had watched for this moment as craftily as only one can who is insane, as indeed I was.
Outside the cold wind smote me. Snow was piled high on all sides. I passed along through great banks of it, and I climbed over sodden drifts and gigantic balls that children had rolled, and with my little black bag I went down to the beach. Where it began, I do not know, for I thought the white caps on the water, breaking against the shore, were great drifts of snow; and I went plodding on and on till I came to the water.
A policeman who had spoken to me when I turned down toward the lake must have followed me, for suddenly he came behind me and said roughly:
"Now, none of that," and I turned around and looked at him stupidly, only half seeing him.