His right hand moved idly over the edge of the table--halted beside an ash tray--closed upon something.
Miss Cornelia rose.
"Is that true, Dale ?" she said sorrowfully.
Dale nodded.

"Yes." She could not trust herself to explain at greater length.
Then Miss Cornelia made one of the most magnificent gestures of her life.
"Well, even if it is--what has that got to do with it ?" she said, turning upon Anderson fiercely, all her protective instinct for those whom she loved aroused.
Anderson seemed somewhat impressed by the fierceness of her query.

When he went on it was with less harshness in his manner.
"I'm not accusing this girl," he said more gently.

"But behind every crime there is a motive.

When we've found the motive for this crime, we'll have found the criminal." Unobserved, Dale's hand instinctively went to her bosom.