and I shall not make the slightest noise. They do not require me!
if I put my head inside the study I should at once be ordered out again.
Let me go to my own room."

Field hesitated for a moment. It was not the first time he had met a
good woman whose life was bound up with that of a criminal, and he had
experience of what those women could do in the hour of peril. And yet he
hesitated because Mary's prayer was passionate and sincere. But it was
only for a moment, then he became a police officer again.

"I could not allow it," he said. "If it came to the ears of my
superiors, I should suffer. And I have a wife and family to think of.
In minutes of temptation such as you ask me to put before you, women are
capable of anything for the sake of those they love. Besides, you would
not have me do a thing that is wrong in the eyes of my employers?"

Mary was silent. Her own sense of justice showed her that Field was
right. But nothing would induce her to go away, so long as there was
anything like hope remaining. She might get a chance still to whisper
one word of warning. And if it came she would not hesitate. She had not
been placed on her parole so far.

She turned away to wipe her shining eyes, and as she did so the door
opened and Berrington crept out. His face was full of excitement, his
lips were white.

"Glad to find you here," he said. "I was going to try and find a
messenger. I could not leave the house for very long, considering
that----"

He paused significantly, with his eyes on Mary. Evidently Berrington had
made some great and startling discovery, or he would not have been so
dreadfully agitated. Even in the moment of her awful sorrow, Mary could
find time to speak and think of others.

"I am in a great measure responsible for this," she said. "Philip,
Beatrice Richford is in the house; she has a valuable parcel of diamonds
in her pocket; those thieves there know it. Go to her assistance at
once; see that she is safe from harm. If anything happens to her I shall
never forgive myself. Why don't you go at once?"

"I am sorry," Berrington stammered. He seemed quite dazed and confused.
"I have no doubt that Mrs. Richford will be perfectly safe, seeing that
assistance is at hand. Indeed, I let her know that I was in the house
so that she should not be unduly frightened. But there are other matters
of far greater importance than that. Sir Charles Darryll----"

"I thought we should come to Sir Charles Darry