"Of course I didn't. I only kept my door locked because they had searched so thoroughly before. It was an humiliation I couldn't bear to face again." "You don't know," he asked, "who took that stuff from Howells; who hid it in your bureau?" The trembling of her slender body became more pronounced. She spoke through chattering teeth: "Bobby! Why do you ask such things? You believe I am guilty as you thought I was the woman in black. You think now, because those things were in my bureau--" "Stop, Katherine! You won't answer me?" "No," she said, backing away from him. "But you are going to answer me. We have come to that point already. Just an hour or two of trust, and then this! It's the Cedars forcing us apart as it did when we had our quarrel. Only this time it is definite. Do you think I'm guilty of these atrocious crimes, or don't you? Everything for us depends on your answer, and I'll know whether you are telling me the truth." "Then," he said, "why should I answer?" And he took her in his arms and held her close. She didn't cry, but for a moment she ceased trembling, and her teeth no longer chattered. "My dear," he said, "even if you had hidden that evidence I'd have known it was to protect me." Then she cried a little, and for a moment, even in the unmerciful grasp of their trouble, they were nearly happy. The footsteps of the others in the corridor recalled them. Katherine leaned against the table, drying her eyes. Graham, Robinson, and Rawlins walked into the hall. "Hello!" Robinson said, "I suppose that isn't an unfair advantage, Mr. Blackburn. Still, I'd rather she hadn't been told." "He's told me nothing," Katherine answered. "I came back to the corridor; I heard everything you said." "Maybe it's as well," Robinson reflected. "It certainly is if what you heard has shown you the wisdom of giving up the whole thing." She stared at him without replying. "Come now," he wheedled. "You might tell us at least why you stole and secreted the evidence." "I'll answer nothing." "That's wiser, Katherine," Graham put in. She turned on him with a complete and unexpected fury. The colour rushed back to her face. Her eyes blazed. Bobby had never guessed her capable of such anger. His wonder grew that her outburst should be directed against Graham. "Keep quiet!" she cried hysterically. "Don't speak to me again. I hate you! Do you understand?" Graham drew back. "Why, Katherine--" "Don't," she said. "Don't call me that." The officers glanced at Graham with frank bewilderment. Rawlins's materialistic mind didn't hesitate to express its first thought: "Must say, I always thought you were sweet on the lady." "Hartley!" Bobby said. "You have been fair to us?" "I don't know why she attacks me," Graham muttered. His face recorded a genuine pain. His words, Bobby felt, overcame a barrier of emotion. They heard Paredes and Doctor Groom on the stairs. "What's this?" the doctor rumbled as he came up.