"She's a scarlet woman! I saw it; scarlet!" grunted Arthur Muskat from the floor.
"In my house! Dancing...?" Words again failed Amy.
Then her gaze turned to Nicholas, who stood surveying the scene with an expression of pained embarrassment. "What will Mr. Senior think?"
Mr. Senior left his place and advanced towards the stricken Amy. "My dear lady, this is most distressing," he said.
"But what is it?" gasped Amy. "Oh, what is it? The Vicar says his legs are paralysed. Go to him, Tydvil."
"I am afraid, Mrs. Jones, that it is some form of food poisoning," said Nicholas soothingly. "Perhaps the oysters. I have heard of this, but have never before seen the effects."
As he spoke, Eva and Edwin Muskat subsided slowly down the wall until they came to rest together on the floor. Then, with a
