"Murder!" cried Mrs. Pelham Odin, in the low thrilling tone of Lady Macbeth. "To what dastardly deed do you refer?" "The woman who watched Mavis Durham has been stabbed to the heart, a couple of days ago." "Alas! for your comedy," cried the actress, "it has changed into a tragedy. What of the girl herself?" "She is a fugitive, the police are looking for her." Mrs. Pelham Odin screamed melodramatically. "Is she accused?" "Yes. And color is lent to the accusation by the scandal of Major Rebb, who, as I told you, spread the report that she was insane." Mrs. Pelham Odin gave a second scream, and flung up her hand. "Hold!" she cried, in her deep voice. "Do I understand that this unfortunate young woman has given way to her mania and has murdered----" "No one. I tell you she is not insane," snapped Haskins tartly. "But the corpse? Account for the corpse." "I can't, unless Rebb himself murdered the woman, so as to get Mavis placed in an asylum, and so be free to enjoy her money." Mrs. Pelham Odin rose and walked to and fro with a nervous shudder, less feigned than real, although theatrical instinct made her accentuate it. "I don't love Major Rebb," she said, after a pause. "I think I told you that before. All the same, he would never, never go so far as crime." "He has gone as far as that already," retorted Haskins, stretching out his long legs and looking gloomily at the carpet, "what do you call keeping that girl's money from her and shutting her up but criminal?" "Still if he had reasons--good reasons?" "He had none, either good or bad. Dear Mrs. Pelham Odin," Gerald rose, and laid his hand on the old woman's arm, "hear what I have to say. This is the time when you can show yourself my friend by protecting one who is dear to me." The actress recoiled, powerfully effected and very genuinely. "I cannot mix myself up in a crime," she faltered. "You will not be doing so, if you substitute Mavis for Charity, as you suggested when I was last here." "Oh," Mrs. Pelham Odin clasped her pretty, withered hands, and stepped back a pace to be more dramatic. "Think of the scandal." "There will be no scandal." "My name will be brought into disrepute. And let me tell you, Mr. Haskins, that my name both on and off the stage, is above reproach." "I am quite sure of that, else I certainly should not ask you to take charge of the woman I hope to make my wife." "You will marry her still?" "Of course, of course," said Haskins impatiently. "I love her more than ever. And even if I loved her less, I am not the man to desert a woman when she needs help so sorely." "You are, as I know, very chivalrous." "And you are, as I know, the kindest-hearted woman in the world." "A fool, a fool, I fear, like all kind-hearted women." "No. Were you a fool I should not ask you to carry out this plot. As it is, Mavis is coming to London, and I want you to get Charity married at once, and to place Mavis at the Belver Theatre for the dance."