Mary put up a shaking hand.
“I’ll tell you—don’t stop me—there’s no time—I’ll tell you—oh, I’m telling you as fast as I can.”
She spoke in a series of gasps.
“I went into your little room behind the dining-room. I knew no one would come. I knew I should hear any one coming or going. I opened the door into the dining-room—just a little——”
“Mary, what is it?” said Elizabeth. She put her arm round her sister, but Mary pushed her away.
“Don’t—there’s no time. Let me go on. David came down. He came into the dining-room. He talked to Edward. He said, ‘I can’t sign the certificate,’ and Edward said, ‘Why not?’ and David said, ‘Because’—Liz—I can’t—oh, Liz, I can’t—I can’t.”
Mary caught suddenly at Elizabeth’s arm and began to sob. She had no tears—only hard sobs. Her pretty oval face was all white and drawn. There were dark marks like bruises under her hazel eyes. The little dark rings of hair about her forehead were damp.
“Dearest—darling—my Molly dear,” said Elizabeth. She held Mary to her, with strong supporting arms, but the shuddering sobs went on.
“Liz—it was poison. He says it was poison. He says there was poison in the tea—arsenic poison—and Edward took him the tea. Liz—Liz, why do such awful things happen? Why does God let them happen?”
Elizabeth was much taller than her sister—taller and stronger. She released herself from the clutching fingers, and let both her hands fall suddenly and heavily upon Mary’s shoulders.