scrutiny. But her bosom rose and fell hurriedly, her cheeks flushed, she passed her tongue over her dry lips. All these things gave evidence of inward discomposure. Whether she knew anything, Derrick was not prepared to say. But if she did, he was sure it would be difficult to make her speak out. Laura was innocent and young, but in spite of her delicate appearance, she had a strong will. Derrick guessed as much from the way in which she tightened her lips. But he could not conceive that she could hold out against his examination. "Have you anything to conceal?" he asked abruptly and rashly.
Laura coloured still more and glanced at him indignantly. "How can you speak to me like that?" she said; "do you suspect me?"
"No. Certainly not. But the affair is strange, Miss Mason."
"From the little I gathered from Mr. Tracey, it is," she assented.
"Here is a house shut up," said Derrick, pursuing his own train of thought; "left without even a caretaker----"
"There was no need for one to be left," interposed the girl. "My sister, Mrs. Fane, thinks that Troy is a safe suburb. There have been no burglaries hereabouts, so she merely asked the police to keep an eye on the house. Besides, she is away only for three weeks."
"When do Mrs. Fane and family return?"
"In six days."
"You remained behind?"
Laura bowed. "My sister and I are not on very good terms," she began, "and I thought it best to remain with my friend, Miss Baldwin, while the house was shut up. But you were saying something."
"Merely that it is queer this woman--this stranger--if she is a stranger, should obtain admittance into the house while those who own it are away. She came on Saturday evening--at what time we are not as yet able to learn. No one saw her come. We do not know if she came alone or in the company of any one. But come she did, and entered the house. How did she get in?"
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