Mabel Saker, somewhat frightened, pretended inordinate concern.

“Oh, Mr. Strong, the truth has been too much for you. I have been clumsy. Oh—”

The old man quieted her with a gesture of the hand.

“If you would be kind to me,” he said, “please tell me quickly all you know. It was a conspiracy, I suppose.”

Miss Saker began to lose her melodramatic action.

“Major Maltravers—”

“Major Maltravers. Exactly.”

“He was in love with Ophelia Gusset.”

“Exactly.”

“Ophelia was sick of your son.”