HEGAN. No!

LAURA. She cut her own throat.

HEGAN. Oh, my dear! [Starts toward her.] I am so sorry...

LAURA. [Quickly.] No, father! Listen! You must talk to me... you must talk to me this time!

HEGAN. My child...

LAURA. You cannot put me off. You cannot, I tell you!

HEGAN. Laura, dear, you are upset...

LAURA. No! That is not so! I have perfect control of myself. There is no use crying... the girl is dead. That can't be helped. But I mean to understand about it. I mean to know who is responsible for her death.

HEGAN. My dear, these evils are hard to know of...

LAURA. That house to which that girl was taken... there is a law against such places, is there not?