BEMIS: ‘And while I am very sorry to disagree with Mr. Roberts, I can’t help feeling that he made a great mistake in allowing the ruffians to escape.’ MRS. CRASHAW, with severity: ‘I think you are quite right, Mr. Bemis.’ BEMIS: ‘Probably it was the same gang attacked us both. After escaping from Mr. Roberts they fell upon me.’ MRS. CRASHAW: ‘I haven’t a doubt of it.’ ROBERTS, _sotto voce_ to his brother-in-law: ‘I think I’ll ask you to go with me to my room, Willis. Don’t alarm Agnes, please. I—I feel quite faint.’ MRS. ROBERTS, crestfallen: ‘I can’t feel that Edward was to blame. Ed—Oh, I suppose he’s gone off to make himself presentable. But Willis—Where’s Willis, Aunt Mary?’ MRS. CRASHAW: ‘Probably gone with him to help him.’ MRS. ROBERTS: ‘Oh, he _saw_ how unstrung poor Edward was! Mr. Bemis, I think you’re quite prejudiced. How could Edward help their escaping? I think it was quite enough for him, single-handed, to get his watch back.’ A ring at the door, and then a number of voices in the anteroom. ‘I do believe they’re all there! I’ll just run out and prepare your son. He would be dreadfully shocked if he came right in upon you.’ She runs into the anteroom, and is heard without: ‘Oh, Dr. Lawton! Oh, Lou dear! _Oh_, Mr. Bemis! How can I ever tell you? Your poor father! No, no, I _can’t_ tell you! You mustn’t ask me! It’s too hideous! And you wouldn’t believe me if I did.’ _Chorus of anguished voices_: ‘What? what? what?’ MRS. ROBERTS: ‘They’ve been robbed! Garotted on the Common! And, _oh_, Dr. Lawton, I’m so glad _you’ve_ come! They’re both injured internally, but I _wish_ you’d look at Edward first.’ BEMIS: ‘Good heavens! Is that Mrs. Roberts’s idea of preparing my son? And his poor young wife!’ He addresses his demand to Mrs. Crashaw, who lifts the hands of impotent despair. PART SECOND MR. ROBERTS; MR. CAMPBELL IN Mr. Roberts’s dressing-room, that gentleman is discovered tragically confronting Mr. Willis Campbell, with a watch uplifted in either hand. WILLIS: ‘Well?’ ROBERTS, gasping: ‘My—my watch!’ WILLIS: ‘Yes. How comes there to be two of it?’ ROBERTS: ‘Don’t you understand? When I went out I—didn’t take my watch—with me. I left it here on my bureau.’ WILLIS: ‘Well?’ ROBERTS: ‘Oh, merciful heavens! don’t you see? Then I couldn’t have been robbed!’ WILLIS: ‘Well, but whose watch did you take from the fellow that didn’t rob you, then?’ ROBERTS: ‘His own!’ He abandons himself powerlessly upon a chair. ‘Yes; I left my own watch here, and when that person brushed against me in the Common, I missed it for the first time. I supposed he had robbed me, and ran after him, and—’ WILLIS: ‘Robbed _him_!’ ROBERTS: ‘Yes.’