"My dear Elizabeth, if this unknown--"

"You'd better leave," interrupted the girl. "Miss Cornish is going tohear me talk."

Before he could answer, his sister exclaimed calmly: "I think I shall, Vance.I begin to be intrigued."

"In the first place," he blurted angrily, "it's something you shouldn'thear--some talk about a murder--"

Elizabeth sank back inside her chair and closed her eyes.

"Ah, coward!" cried Kate Pollard, now on her feet.

"Vance, will you leave me for a moment?"

For a moment he was black with malice, staring at the girl, then suddenlysubmitting to the inevitable, turned on his heel and left the room.

"Now," exclaimed Elizabeth, sitting erect again, "what is it? Why do youinsist on talking to me of--him? And--what has he done?"

In spite of her calm, a quiver of emotion was close behind the last words, andnothing of it escaped Kate Pollard.

"I knew," she exclaimed gently, "that _two_ people couldn't live with Terryfor twenty-four years and both hate him, as your brother does. I can tellyou fairly quickly why I'm here, Miss Cornish."