"I must not think of it! I must go instantly."
When they were seated, and he had nearly twisted his head off trying to meet her downcast eyes, he resumed a normal and less parrot-like posture, and folded his arms portentously.
"To begin," he said, "I came here fishing. I heard a stick crack——"
She looked up.
"That was my fault. It was all my fault. I don't know how I ever came to do it. I never did such a thing in my life. We merely heard that you and Mr. Langdon were in the woods——"
"Who heard?"
"We. Never mind the others. I'll say that I heard you were here. And—and I took my—my net and came to—to——"
"To what?"
"To—investigate."
"Investigate what? Me?"