“But if you were to sign the certificate—there wouldn’t need to be an inquest—David——” “But I’m damned if I’ll sign the certificate,” said David Blake. He went out and shut the door sharply behind him. CHAPTER IV A MAN’S HONOUR “Will you give me your heart?” she said. “Oh, I gave it you long ago,” said he. “Why, then, I threw it away,” said she. “And what will you give me instead? Will you give me your honour?” she said. “Elizabeth!” There was a pause. “Elizabeth—open your door!” Elizabeth Chantrey came back from a long way off. Mary was calling her. Mary was knocking at her door. She got up rather wearily, turned the key, and with a little gasp, Mary was in the room, shutting the door, and standing with her back against it. The lamp burned low, but Elizabeth’s eyes were accustomed to the gloom. Mary Mottisfont’s bright, clear colour was one of her great attractions. It was all gone and her dark eyes looked darker and larger than they should have done. “Why, Molly, I thought you had gone home. Edward told me he was sending you home an hour ago.” “He told me to go,” said Mary in a sort of stumbling whisper. “He told me to go—but I wanted to wait and go with him. I knew he’d be upset—I knew he’d feel it—when it was all over. I wanted to be with him—oh, Liz——” “Mary, what is it?” Mary put up a shaking hand. “I’ll tell you—don’t stop me—there’s no time—I’ll tell you—oh, I’m telling you as fast as I can.” She spoke in a series of gasps. “I went into your little room behind the dining-room. I knew no one would come. I knew I should hear any one coming or going. I opened the door into the dining-room—just a little——” “Mary, what _is_ it?” said Elizabeth. She put her arm round her sister, but Mary pushed her away. “Don’t—there’s no time. Let me go on. David came down. He came into the dining-room. He talked to Edward. He said, ‘I can’t sign the certificate,’ and Edward said, ‘Why not?’ and David said, ‘Because’—Liz—I can’t—oh, Liz, I can’t—I can’t.” Mary caught suddenly at Elizabeth’s arm and began to sob. She had no tears—only hard sobs. Her pretty oval face was all white and drawn. There were dark marks like bruises under her hazel eyes. The little dark rings of hair about her forehead were damp. “Dearest—darling—my Molly dear,” said Elizabeth. She held Mary to her, with strong supporting arms, but the shuddering sobs went on. “Liz—it was poison. He says it was poison. He says there was poison in the tea—arsenic poison—and Edward took him the tea. Liz—Liz, why do such awful things happen? Why does God let them happen?” Elizabeth was much taller than her sister—taller and stronger. She released herself from the clutching fingers, and let both her hands fall suddenly and heavily upon Mary’s shoulders. “Molly, what are you talking about?” she cried. Mary was startled into a momentary self-control.