snatching up a heavy paper-weight from

the desk beside her, she flung it at him.

Clayton went down like a log. Elsie

screamed. Harold stopped petrified in the

doorway. The girl fell on her knees beside

her husband. He lay quite still where he

had fallen.

Outside in the passage, there was the

sound of the bolt of one of the doors being

drawn back. Elsie jumped up and ran to

Harold.

"Please --please --" Her voice was

low and breathless. "Go back to your room.

They'll come --they'll find you here."

Harold nodded. He took in the situation

like lightning. For the moment, Philip Clayton

was hors de combat. But Elsie's scream

might have been heard. If he were found

in her room it could only cause embarrassment

and misunderstanding. Both for her

sake and his own there must be no scandal.

As noiselessly as possible, he sprinted

down the passage and back into his room.

Just as he reached it, he heard the sound

of an opening door.

221

He sat in his room for nearly half

an hour, waiting. He dared not go out.

Sooner or later, he felt sure, Elsie would

come.

There was a light tap on his door.

Harold jumped up to open it.

It was not Elsie who came in but her

mother and Harold was aghast at her appearance. She looked suddenly years older. Her grey hair was dishevelled and there

were deep black circles under her eyes.

He sprang up and helped her to a chair.

She sat down, her breath coming painfully.

Harold said quickly:

"You look all in, Mrs. Rice. Can I get

you something ?"

She shook her head.

''N0. Never mind me. I'm all right,

really. It's only the shock. Mr. Waring, a terrible thing has happened." Harold asked:

"Is Clayton seriously injured ?"

She caught her breath.

"Worse than that. He's dead...."

V

The room spun round.

A feeling as of icy water trickling down

222

his spine rendered Harold incapable of

speech for a moment or two.

He repeated dully:

"ZW?"

Mrs. Rice nodded.

She said, and her voice had the flat level

tones of complete exhaustion:

"The corner of that marble paperweight

caught him right on the temple

and he fell back with his head on the iron

fender. I don't know which it was that

killed him--but he is certainly dead. I

have seen death often enough to know.53

Disaster --that was the word that rang

insistently in Harold's brain. Disaster, disaster, disaster.... He said vehemently:

"It was an accident.... I saw it happen."

Mrs. Rice said sharply:

"Of course it was an accident. / know

that. But--but--is any one else going

to think so ? I'm --frankly, I'm frightened,

Harold! This isn't England.35

Harold said slowly:

cc! can confirm Elsie's story."

Mrs. Rice said:

"Yes, and she can confirm yours. That --that is just it!" 223

Harol(Ts brain, naturally a keen and

cautious one, saw her point. He reviewed

the whole thing and appreciated the weakness