"Don't say a word to Mr. Murgatroyd until you have seen a lawyer."
Challoner, still sullen, looked over his shoulder at his wife.
"Who's saying all this? Only a lot of women--what do they know?" And
turning back to Murgatroyd: "See here, Murgatroyd, let's get this
straight, shall we?" And he looked him full in the eye. "You're the
prosecutor--and anything I say will be used against me. Is that right?
Well, this little matter is just as simple as A, B, C." And suddenly
drawing himself up to his full height, he went on in a loud, clear
voice:--
"I waited for Richard Hargraves with----"
"I warned you," cried Murgatroyd, stretching forth a hand.
Challoner scornfully refused to listen.
"... and when I found him--" he glanced about him defiantly and gave an
imitation of a man taking aim and shooting. "There, now, you know the
facts."
Murgatroyd turned to his two men.
"It's a case of wilful, deliberate, premeditated murder--murder in the
first degree. Take him away!"
Shirley was on her feet in an instant.
"Oh, Mr. Challoner," she cried, springing forward, "why did you tell
him?"
"Come on!" Challoner called out gruffly to the men. "Take me away!" He
did not even glance at his wife, who clung to the girl, and sobbed on
her breast.
The prosecutor nodded to his subordinates, and immediately they seized
Challoner by the arm and started toward the door.
"No, no," cried Miriam, tearing herself from Shirley's hold, "don't take
him away!" And again and again with all the force left in her: "No! No!
No!--Oh, Laurie!----"
The doors closed behind the men. Then Miriam sank down upon the soiled
sofa where he had lain, and sobbed as though her heart would break.