“Why did you come?”
“Miss Anning, will you not sit down?”
“Thank you, I would rather stand. Why did you come here?”
“I wished to see you.”
“Well, I’m here. What do you want?”
There was no pretence that this was an ordinary conversation. Look and voice were keyed to some desperate strain. Miss Silver said gently,
“I have felt obliged to come. I had no wish to do so, but I believe the police to be on the verge of arresting Mrs. Maybury. If it is possible to prevent this, it is my duty to do so.”
Darsie Anning kept that rigid look.
“Why should they arrest her?”
“I cannot go into that. There is—some evidence.”
“Then why should she not be arrested? If she did it——”
“I do not believe that she did it. I believe that you may have evidence which could help to clear the matter up.”
“I ha
