she should say nothing more before Gabriel. She did not realise what she was admitting, did not see the change in his face, the petrifaction.
"Why don't you go up to his house, wait for him there?" Then she said to Gabriel quickly and unconvincingly:
"This is Dr. Kennedy's affair. It was Dr. Kennedy for whom you were asking, wasn't it?" Mrs. Roope's cunning was equal to the occasion.
"It is Dr. Kennedy I have got to see," she said slowly.
"If he misses you in London he will get back as quickly as possible." Margaret's strained anxiety was easy to read. Afterwards Gabriel followed her, as she moved quickly toward the hotel.
"What has she got to do with Dr. Kennedy or he with her?" he asked then. Margaret spoke hastily:
"She sent back the post-dated cheque. It is all settled only they missed each other. Peter went up to town to find her and she misunderstood and came after him. He has the other cheque with him."
She was purposely incoherent, meaning him to misunderstand, hoping against hope that he would show no curiosity. Mrs. Roope came after them, planted herself heavily in their path.
"I'll give him until the last train."
"Telephone to your own house and you will find
