Pen flared up inwardly. ("Asking me to sit down in my own house!") In order to show that she was still mistress there, she moved calmly about the room, setting things in order. They had presumed to shove her center table over to the fireplace to give themselves room. She shoved it back. The chief with an annoyed glance resumed his questioning of the scared negress. The room was full of people. There were four lesser officers grouped around the chief's chair. The reporters were gathered in a group under the arch that led to the back drawing-room. Pen soon learned that there was an excellent working agreement between these two parties, the reporters dependent on the detectives for news, and the detectives dependent on the reporters for public recognition of their efforts. Over by the other front window sat Pendleton, leaning back in an old swivel chair, trying to appear at his ease. Aunt Maria was saying: "Soon as Mist' Pendleton go out Ah undress Miss Penny and put her in baid. She done drap right off lak a kitten." "Then what did you do?" the man asked in the rasping voice inquisitors affect. "Me? Ah didn't do nuffin, suh. Ah jes sot." "Did you go to sleep too?" "Ah reckon Ah did." "How long did you sleep?" "'Deed I caint tell. I aint know nuffin else till Miss Penny wake me up again." "So she woke you up?" Aunt Maria perceived that she had made a slip. "Yessuh! Yessuh!" she stammered. "Miss Penny done want a drink of watah." "How did she wake you?" Again Aunt Maria's tongue slipped. "She done shook mah ahm." "So she was out of bed?" "No suh! No suh!" cried Aunt Maria in a panic. "I misrecollect that. She jes hollered at me." It would have been patent to a child that Aunt Maria was lying. The scene was intolerable to Pen's pride. "Aunt Maria, tell the truth," she said sharply. The poor old negress turned a face of complete dismay to her mistress. What was she to make of this? In her confusion she was unable to get anything else out. To Pen the chief detective said harshly: "Please be silent, Miss. You will have a chance to tell your story in a minute." Pen's eyes blazed. "You are not to suppose that you are entrapping me or my servant!" she said hotly. "I have no objection to your knowing that I went down to the beach last night and warned Mr. Counsell that he was liable to arrest!" It had the effect of a bombshell there in the room. For a second all the men stared at Pen open-mouthed. Then of one accord the reporters made a rush out into the hall where the telephone was. He who first laid hand on it was allowed to get his call in first. Pen was too angry now to be terrified by further publicity. Their precipitancy merely disgusted her. Was there no such thing as human dignity?