“No, not now. I really want to talk to you. I’ve just been speaking to Jeffrey Ember, and he tells me you had a fright yesterday. What frightened you?” “Nothing—my own silliness.” Jane felt as if she must scream. George Patterson had disappeared as if by a conjuring trick. Where had he gone to? Where was he? It was just like being in a dream. Raymond Heritage seemed to tower before her in her white dress. Her uncovered head almost touched the low beam above the door. “Jeffrey said you were blind with fright—that you ran right into him. He said you were as white as a sheet and shaking all over. I want to know what frightened you?” “A stone—it fell into the sea——” “What made it fall? A man? What man?” Jane leaned against the door-post, her breath coming and going, her eyes held by those imperious eyes. “A stone,” she said; “it fell—I ran away.” “Miss Molloy,” said Lady Heritage, “you walked to the end of the headland, out of sight of the house. Whilst you were there something gave you a serious fright. Something—or somebody. This is all nonsense about a stone. Whom did you see on the headland, for you certainly saw somebody? No, don’t look away; I want you to look at me, please.” “I don’t know why I was so frightened,” said Jane. “It just came over me.” Lady Heritage looked at her very gravely. “If you saw any stranger on the headland, it is your absolute duty to tell me. Where secrets of such value are in question it is necessary to watch every avenue and to neglect no suspicious circumstance. If you are trying to screen any one, you are acting very foolishly—very foolishly indeed. I warn you, and I ask you again. What frightened you?” “I don’t know,” said Jane in a little whispering voice. “Why, why do you think there was any one?” “I don’t think,” said Lady Heritage briefly. “I know. Mr. Ember went up to the headland after he left you, and there were footmarks in the gravel. Some man had undoubtedly been there, and you must have seen him. Mr. Ember made the entire round and saw no one, but some one had been there. _Now_ will you tell me what you saw?” “Oh!” said Jane. Rather to her own astonishment she began to cry. “Oh, that’s why I was frightened then! The stone fell so suddenly, and I didn’t know why—why——” The sobs choked her. Lady Heritage stood looking at her for a moment. “Are you just an arrant little fool,” she said in a low voice, “or....” “Oh, I’m not!” sobbed Jane. “Oh, I’ve never been called such a thing before! I know I’m not clever, but I don’t think you ought to call me a f—f—fool.” Lady Heritage pressed her lips together, and walked past Jane and out into the sunshine. She stood there for a moment tapping with her foot. Then she called rather impatiently: “Miss Molloy! Dry your eyes and come here.” Jane came, squeezing a damp handkerchief into a ball.