"And now my love without a thought of me
Takes that dark damsel on his knee."
"There he is," choked Connie. Hysteria was sweeping down upon her. She began to laugh, very softly.
"I can't, I can't," said Mrs. Hammond.
The door opened.
"Hullo, hullo, hullo, not to bed yet? Why, hullo, what's wrong?"
The room was perfectly quiet. Through the open window from the moonlit garden came the dreary call of an owl. Far off in the valley a train whistled, leaving Marshington station.
The four in the room stayed quite still.
"Now then, Connie," asked Mr. Hammond, grown suddenly serious, "what's the meaning of all this?"