Page:Richard Marsh--The goddess a demon.djvu/141

Rh from an obscure mental disease. If you were to proceed to arrest her you would run an imminent risk of permanently disturbing the balance of her brain, and of driving her stark mad. The act, and the responsibility for the consequences of the act, would be yours. Let me finish, Inspector. I quite understand that if you were to allow her to pass entirely from your purview you would be assuming a weighty responsibility in a different direction. I am therefore prepared to give you my personal guarantee that she shall remain at your disposal as witness, or in any other capacity, until it has been made plain that she has had no connection whatever with this most unfortunate affair."

"First of all, what is the lady's name, who is she, and where does she live?" "She is Miss Bessie Moore, the well-known actress, and she lives with this other lady. Miss Florence Adair, at 22, Hailsham Road, Brompton."

"I'm not much of a theatre-goer, but I have heard of Miss Bessie Moore. I wasn't aware that she was" He finished his sentence by touching his forehead with his finger.

"I am prepared to certify that, at present, she is mentally incapable; and that to place her under arrest would be to imperil not only her sanity, but her life."