he handkerchief tight. But Sylvia got her hand under
the cruel bandage and shrieked aloud in despair. At once she heard an
answering shriek. It was the voice of Deborah.

Maud darted to the door and locked it. Then she returned and, flinging
Sylvia down, tried again to tighten the handkerchief, her face white and
fierce and her eyes glittering like a demon's.

"Help--help!" cried Sylvia, and her voice grew weaker. But she struggled
and kept her hands between the handkerchief and her throat. Maud tried
to drag them away fiercely. Deborah was battering frantically at the
door. Paul ran round to the window. It was not locked, and Maud,
struggling with Sylvia had no time to close it. With a cry of alarm Paul
threw up the window and jumped into the room. At the same moment
Deborah, putting her sturdy shoulder to the frail door, burst it open.
Beecot flung himself on the woman and dragged her back. But she clung
like a leech to Sylvia with the black handkerchief in her grip. Deborah,
silent and fierce, grabbed at the handkerchief, and tore it from Maud's
grasp. Sylvia, half-strangled, fell back in a faint, white as a corpse,
while Paul struggled with the savage and baffled woman.

"You've killed her," shouted Deborah, and laid her strong hands on Maud,
"you devil!" She shook her fiercely. "I'll kill you," and she shook her
again.

Paul threw himself on his knees beside the insensible form of Sylvia and
left Deborah to deal with Maud. That creature was gasping as Mrs. Tawsey
swung her to and fro. Then she began to fight, and the two women crashed
round the little room, upsetting the furniture. Paul took Sylvia in his
arms, and shrank against the wall to protect her.

A new person suddenly appeared. No less a woman than Matilda. When she
saw Maud in Deborah's grip she flew at her sister like a tigress and
dragged her off. Maud was free for a moment. Seeing her chance she
scrambled out of the window, and ran through the garden down the road
towards the station. Perhaps she had a vague idea of escape. Deborah,
exerting her great strength, threw Matilda aside, and without a cry ran
out of the house and after the assassin who had tried to strangle
Sylvia. Matilda, true to her salt, ran also, to help Maud Krill, and the
two women sped in the wake of the insane creature who was swiftly
running in the direction of the station. People began to look round, a
crowd gathered like magic, and in a few moments Maud was being chased by
q