"Nothing."
Murgatroyd waved his hand and commanded them to wait for him at the
door, ending with:--
"I won't be a minute." And turning to Mrs. Challoner, he said a trifle
apologetically: "My men tell me that your husband is not in the house.
One thing more, however; if you know where Mr. Challoner is--"
"She doesn't!" snapped Shirley.
"If you know where he is," Murgatroyd repeated, ignoring the
interruption, "if you have any means of communicating with him----"
"She hasn't!" once more interposed the girl sharply.
"I want you to use your influence with him to make him come back. His
flight amounts to a moral confession of crime. He has nothing to gain,
you see," he went on to explain, "by staying away. He is bound to be
caught; he cannot escape!"
"I want him to come back," stammered Mrs. Challoner. "Yes, yes, he must
come back and face this charge. You--you don't think him guilty, Mr.
Murgatroyd?"
Murgatroyd walked toward the door. If he had spoken his mind he would
have answered in the affirmative; but instead, he compromised with:--
"I don't know;" and abruptly left the house.