Part 34 (1/2)

Even more belligerent than the words was the tone and the facial expression of the speaker. Miss Gurney was not a beautiful woman at best, and her rage transformed her into a veritable termagant. Her spa.r.s.e gray hair fell in wisps about her ears and her head shook in emphasis of her objurgations, while her pale blue eyes blinked with fury as she strove to find words harsh enough.

”Eliza!” and Miss Prall's warning tone was quiet but very stern. ”Stop that! You only make matters worse by going on so! If you can't keep still, leave the room.”

Eliza sniffed, but ceased her talk for the moment, at least.

”Now, Miss Prall,” Gibbs resumed, ”it is necessary, in my opinion, to have an interview at which both yourself and Mrs Everett are present. I have a right to ask this, and I offer you the choice of going there, or sending for her to come here.”

”I won't do either,” snapped Let.i.tia. ”I refuse to go to her home, and I certainly shall not let her enter mine.”

”But, don't you see that is most damaging to your own side of the story.”

”What do I care? Don't think you can frighten me, young man! Let.i.tia Prall is quite able to take care of herself.”

”That may be, but you are not able to defy, successfully, the course of the law. If I insist on this interview, I think, Miss Prall, you will be obliged to consent.”

”And if I refuse?”

”Then, I am sorry to tell you, your refusal must be set aside, and you will, I am sure, see the advisability of accepting the situation.”

”Oh, come, Auntie,” said Bates, ”you're making a lot of unnecessary trouble. Neither you nor Mrs Everett had any hand in this murder,--the mere idea is ridiculous! and if you have the interview Mr Gibbs wants, it will soon be over and then you will both be freed from suspicion and can go on with your silly 'feud.' That is a foolish thing, but trivial.

This other matter is serious. You _must_ get it over with at once,--for all our sakes.”

”I won't.” And Miss Prall set her lips obstinately.

Gibbs rose abruptly and left the room.

”He's gone for Mrs Everett,” said Richard, looking severely at his aunt.

”Now, you must be careful, Aunt Letty. If you don't look out, they'll accuse you of the murder, and though you'll disprove it, it will mean a whole lot of trouble for us all.”

Let.i.tia Prall adored her nephew, and, too, she saw there was no use of trying to avoid the meeting with Mrs Everett. It was bound to be brought about, sooner or later, by the determined Gibbs, and it might as well be gone through with.

She sat still, thinking what att.i.tude it was best to a.s.sume, and she decided on continued silence.

”Eliza,” she warned, ”don't talk too much. You'll get us in an awful predicament if you're so free with your tongue. First thing you know, you'll tell----”

”Hush, they're coming!” and in a moment Gibbs rang the bell.

Richard admitted him, and with him came both Adeline Everett and the maid, Kate.

”I didn't invite your servant,” was Miss Prall's only word of greeting, accompanied by a scathing glance at Kate.

”You didn't invite me,” Mrs Everett returned, pertly, ”and I shouldn't have come if you had, except that I was commanded to appear by a representative of the law. I don't see, though, why I should be mixed up in your murder case.”

”It isn't my murder case any more than it is yours, Adeline Everett,”

her enemy faced her. ”I understand you're suspected of being----”

”Oh, don't, Aunt Let.i.tia,” begged Richard, who was always distressed if obliged to be present when the two ”got going,” as Eliza called it.

”Now, please, auntie,--please, Mrs Everett, can't you two forget your private enmity for a few minutes and just settle this big matter? Disarm the suspicions of Mr Gibbs by telling the truth, by stating where you all were at the time of the murder, and so, get yourselves out of all touch with it. Truly, you will be sorry if you don't. You don't realize what it will mean if you have to be mixed up in all sorts of witness stands and things.”

”Go ahead, Mr Gibbs,” and Miss Prall glared at the detective. ”We owe this unpleasant scene to you,--make it as short as possible.”