it
would have been all right. But neither of us thought. And Walter
bungled things frightfully in New York. Now if we come forward with
any such story they'll think we're all in a conspiracy to defraud the
company."

"Oh!" Sally exclaimed abruptly, with an accent of enlightenment that
discountenanced the older woman.

With an effort, recovering, she sought to distract the girl.

"Surely you must see now, you have got to go! There's a boat to the
mainland at six thirty. If you catch that, you'll have three hours'
start; for the detective won't be able to get off the island before
half past nine. And you ought to be able to lose yourself in that time
somehow. Hurry; I'll help you pack a satchel. You'd better wear that
blue serge; everybody wears blue serge, so it's inconspicuous. And
here's some money for travelling expenses."

Sally ignored the little fold of bills held out to her.

"I'm not going," she declared firmly.

"Are you mad?"

"I would be to go with the situation what it is here. Don't you see
that, unless those jewels are returned to Mrs. Gosnold to-night--yes,
I mean the jewels you were so ready to accuse me of stealing a little
while ago; but you seem to have forgotten that now--"

"I wish you would," Mrs. Standish replied, schooling her voice to
accents of dulcet entreaty. "I was beside myself with anxiety--"

"Wait. If I go before those jewels are recovered--disappear, as you
want me to--it will be equivalent to a confession that I myself stole
them. And suppose I did."

"What!"

"I say, suppose I did, for the sake of argument. What right have you
to assume that I didn't commit the theft? No more than you had to
accuse me as you did. And until the theft is made good, what right
have you to let me go and, possibly, get away with my loot? No!" Sally
shook her head. "You're not logical, you're not honest with me.
There's something behind all this. I'm not going to be made a
scapegoat for you. I'm not going to run away now and hide simply to
further your plans for swindling the burglary-insurance company. I'll
see Mrs. Gosnold and advise with her before I stir a step."

"Oh, you are insufferable!" Mrs. Standish cried.

In a flash she lost control of her temper altogether. Her face grew
ghastly with the pallor of her rage. And she trembled visibly.

But what else she might have said to the defiant girl was cut short by
the sudden and unceremonious opening of the door to admit three
persons.