“But it’s so. God help me, it’s so!”
“Mollie!” Mrs. Warren was aghast. “Forgive me! I’m ashamed of myself!”
“There’s nothing to forgive; it’s so.”
“Please don’t.” The two were very close, very tense, but not touching. “Don’t say any more. I didn’t hear––”
“You did hear. And you suspected, or you wouldn’t have suggested!”
“Mollie, I never dreamed. I––”
Of a sudden the older woman faced about. Seizing the other by the shoulders, she held her prisoner. She fixed the frightened woman’s eyes with a stern look. 255
“Will you swear that you never knew––that it was mere chance––what you said?”
“Yes.”
“You swear you didn’t?”––the grip tightened––“you swear it?”