t that sacrifice from you. I'm her father, and you must tell
me the truth. Did my daughter send you? (_There is a long pause._) Did
you go for my daughter?

HELEN (_slowly_). Yes.

ROSALIE. I did know it. (_Above table_ R.)

CROSBY. My daughter sent you. What for?

HELEN (R.C.). Some letters.

WILLIAM (_in front of chesterfield_ C.). Why didn't she go herself?

HELEN. She was afraid.

DONOHUE (_still seated back of table_ R.). Well, go on.

(HELEN _does not speak_.)

WILLIAM (R.C.). Tell him, dear, it's all right.

HELEN. I don't know what to say.

DONOHUE. Why not tell the truth? (_Rises and comes to chair below
table_ R.)

ROSALIE. Tell the Inspector what happened, dearie. (_Putting_ HELEN
_in chair front of table_ R.)

HELEN. Nothing happened. That's the funny part of it. The minute Mr. Lee
understood that I knew about the letters, everything was changed. I said
that unless he gave them to me I'd tell Mr. Crosby about them. He seemed
terribly upset. He said he hadn't meant to frighten Helen. That he loved
her, and was desperate. I thought it was a funny kind of love, but I
didn't tell him that. Then he gave me the letters.

DONOHUE. Was this before or after you had tea with him?

HELEN. Before.

DONOHUE. Go on. He gave you the letters?

HELEN (_seated in front of table_ R.). Yes. And he seemed terribly
unhappy. He begged me to stay and talk to him for a few minutes, and I
did. He asked me to have some tea with him, and I did that too.

DONOHUE. How charming! What did you do after tea?

(ROSALIE _is at the back of the chair in the front of the table_.)

HELEN. I came home and gave Helen her letters.

DONOHUE. And that's all?

HELEN. That's all.

DONOHUE. Why did you do this?

HELEN. She's Billy's sister.

DONOHUE. My compliments, young woman. That was beautifully done. And she
looks so innocent too.

WILLIAM (C). You don't believe--

DONOHUE. Not a word of it. Not one word.

ROSALIE. And why not?

DONOHUE. That I _don't_ is sufficient. Her story is preposterous. Your
daughter's--

WILLIAM. It is the truth.

DONOHUE. Do you expect me to believe for a minute that a man like Lee
would threaten your daughter, and then when a total stranger comes to
him and asks for the letters, give them up without a word? Why, no jury
in the world would believe your story.

WILLIAM. Jury? You're not going to arrest her?

DONOHUE. She is arrested.

ROSALIE. You 'ave not proof.

DONOHUE (_be