Peter could have almost laughed at the look of dumfounded amazement on the superintendent’s face. “You mean—Why, that’s impossible! It isn’t your place—”
Peter cut her short. “Oh yes, it is. Remember the advice you gave me a few hours ago. I’m here to find out what’s back of it all, and no one is going to stop me.” His jaws snapped with an ominous finality.
Doctor Brainard opened to their knock, but he held the door so that barely a corner of the room was visible, and he blocked the entrance.
“Open it wider!” commanded Peter. “We’ve come to stay a few minutes and ask Miss O’Leary a few questions,” and he thrust the surgeon quickly aside and flung wide the door.
Sheila was sitting by a reading-lamp, an open book on her lap. She looked as Peter had seen her in the early evening, only back of the tiredness and pallor was a strange look of peace. To Peter she seemed a crucified saint who had suddenly discovered that nail wounds were harmless. She smiled faintly at them both. “I’m sorry it’s happened again, Miss Maxwell. If you’ll just go away and try to forget about it until after the morning, I’ll send in my resignation and leave as soon as you can fill my place. And can’t we do it this time without any Board meeting? I’ll promise never to come back.”
“Then there are going to be no explanations this time—either?” There was pleading in the superintendent’s voice, as well as infinite sadness.
The girl shook her head. “There’s nothing to explain. I’m just here.” She folded her hands quietly on her lap. “Won’t you please go?”
“No, we won’t!” Peter thundered it forth. Then he turned to the surgeon, and there was no pleading in his voice. “You cur! you cad! What have you got to say?”
Doctor Brainard jumped as if Peter had struck him; for the instant he seemed to find speech difficult. “Why—why, what do you mean? How dare you—”
“I dare you,” and Peter shot out each word with the directness of a hand-grenade, “I dare you to stand up like a man and tell why Miss O’Leary came here to-night. You sneaked behind her silence three years ago; don’t be a cursed coward and do it again.”