Page:Richard Marsh--The goddess a demon.djvu/126

114 "Let me see how it was. He was here, and I was there." She moved from one place to another, as if endeavouring to recall a scene in which she had taken part. It seemed to come back to her in fragments.

"I said, 'I'll kill you;' because I felt like killing him. And then—then he laughed. He said, 'Kill me! How will you be better off for that?' And that made me worse. I made up my mind that—that I'd kill him."

She paused. I shuddered, clutching the curtains tighter. Although I did not turn to look at them, I knew that there was something strange on the faces of Miss Adair and Hume; that even the constable was moved to a display of unusual interest A faint whisper reached me from the lady:

"Stop her! Don't let her go on!"

I was conscious of a weakness in my throat, which made my voice sound as if I were hoarse, as I whispered a reply.

"I shan't attempt to stop her. I shall let her say all that she has to say. I'm not afraid."

I felt her pull at my coat sleeve, as a dog might do to show its sympathy.

The girl within continued. She had put her hands up to her brow again, and seemed battling with her torpid faculties. Through all