She started toward the door.
"No, no, let me!" cried Dolores, darting ahead of her.
"Stop!—both of you!" exclaimed Mrs. Gantry. "Are you mad?"
"Stop!" commanded Mr. Leslie.
Genevieve paused and stood hesitating before the vestibule door.
Dolores darted back to the windows.
A voice across the room called out: "That's—that's right! There's no need to go. It's all a fake—a pretence!"
Staring about, Mr. Leslie and the ladies saw Ashton beside the inner door. He was striving to assume an air of easy assurance, but the doorknob, which he still grasped, rattled audibly.
"You!" rasped Mr. Leslie. "What you doing in here—skulking in here?"
Ashton cringed back, all the assurance stricken from his face.
"You—you believe him!" he stammered. "But it's not fair! You've heard only his side—his lies about me!"