Tesno took her firmly by the shoulders and met her eyes. She lowered them and would have come against him, but he held her off. "Persia, I want the truth. From you. Is there a plan to kill Willie?"
"How do I know? They're hard men. There's a great deal at stake and—I told them I would have nothing to do with it!"
"Yes," Stella said. "She told them that. She said she didn't even vant to know about it."
Persia whirled and walked to the stairway. She halted there, face in hands; but he did not follow.
"I am afraid for Villie, Mr. Tesno," Stella said.
"How long ago did he leave?"
"Yust before you came. Ten, fifteen minutes."
Tesno regarded her gloomily. "I'll go after him," he said. He strode swiftly to the front door, and it closed heavily behind him.