CHAPTER 21There was a sense of tingling shock. The colour which had risen so brightly as she spoke of Allegra now faded out. She said in an uncertain voice,
“What do you mean?”
Miss Silver coughed.
“It could doubtless have been an accident. The girl was careless, and not possessed of any high order of reasoning. She has been described to me by a number of people, and I have been left with the impression that, so far as mental development went, she was an irresponsible child of seven or eight years old. Does this agree with your own judgment?”
“Yes—I think so. But many children of seven or eight would have a great deal more sense. I don’t think she had any.”
“That being the case, what do you suppose would have been her reaction if someone had suggested to her that she should take one o
