His generosity cut like a knife. As suddenly as it had descended upon her the dumbness passed away. Her tongue was loosened. She heard her voice, her high, shaking voice, entirely independent of her, yet still her own voice— “I did it,” said Laura’s voice, “I—I did it on purpose.” “What?” He wheeled, staring, while within her mind she implored this voice of hers to go on, to tell Justin, to make Justin understand. And at last it did say— “I had to, Justin. Justin—I had to.” He took a step towards her. There was a new and dangerous light in his eyes. “Are you mad? What do you mean? Are you quite mad?” She considered. “I had to.” Her voice was growing easier to manage. “Will you tell me why?” Her moment was come. Now she must loose her lightnings, launch her thunderbolts, harangue, arraign, convince, convict him, overwhelming him with unanswerable truths. She must take the chance that had come to her. Whitening, she drew breath and spoke— “I—I had to,” said Laura. “Where—?” he began, then his eyes, following hers, caught sight of the mess of shell that littered the floor and he lost control. He was flushed, darkly, like a drinker. The natural man emerged in a quick, furious staccato of unintelligible words. A wave of terrified laughter swept over her as she listened. So that’s swearing!... So he can swear, Coral! You see, he can.... And then——It’s like a cat—like a tom-cat! It’s comical! It’s horrible! It makes one sick! Stop! Oh, Justin, stop!... She was clutching at the arms of her chair. But it was all over in an instant. Before she realized what was happening she found him towering over her, the Justin of a nightmare, huge and hazy, with glittering eyes. He was speaking to her. “Will you go away, please?” “Justin!” she implored him. “Will you go away, please?” She resisted, roused at last, eloquent at last, fighting desperately— “Justin! I must tell you——Justin! Wait! Listen! Just a minute——Justin!” But he took her lightly by the arm, and in a moment she was in the passage, and he had shut the door against her. She went shaking and stumbling down the staircase and out into the sunshine. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XXX