The door was opened by Mother Bonneton, very sleepy and arrayed in a
wrapper of purple and gold pieced together from discarded altar coverings.
She eyed the young man sternly but said nothing, for Alice was at her back
holding the lamp and there was something in the American's face, something
half reckless, half appealing, that startled her. She felt the cold breath
of a sinister happening and regretted Bonneton's absence at the church.

"Well, I'm here," said Kittredge with a queer little smile. "I couldn't
come any sooner and--I can't stay."

The girl questioned him with frightened eyes. "Isn't it over yet?"

He looked at her sharply. "I don't know what you mean by 'it,' but, as a
matter of fact, _it_ hasn't begun yet. If you have any questions you'd
better ask 'em."

Alice turned and said quietly: "Was the woman who came in the carriage the
one you told us about?"

"Yes."

"Have you been with her ever since?"

"No. I was with her only about ten minutes."

"Is she in trouble?"

"Yes."

"And you?"

Kittredge nodded slowly. "Oh, I'm in trouble, all right."

"Can I help you?"

He shook his head. "The only way you can help is by believing in me. I
haven't lied to you. I hadn't seen that woman for over six months. I didn't
know she was coming here. I don't love her, I love you, but I did love her,
and what I have done to-night I--I _had_ to do." He spoke with growing
agitation which he tried vainly to control.

Alice looked at him steadily for a moment and then in a low voice she spoke
the words that were pressing on her heart: "_What_ have you done?"

"There's no use going into that," he answered unsteadily. "I can only ask
you to trust me."

"I trust you, Lloyd," she said.

While they were talking Mother Bonneton had gone to the window attracted by
sounds from below, and as she peered down her face showed surprise and
then intense excitement.

"Kind saints!" she muttered. "The courtyard is full of policemen." Then
with sudden understanding she exclaimed: "Perhaps we will know now what he
has been doing." As she spoke a heavy tread was heard on the stairs and the
murmur of voices.

"It's nothing," said Alice weakly.

"Nothing?" mocked the old woman. "Hear that!"

An impatient hand sounded at the door while a harsh voice called out those
terrifying words: "_Open in the name of the law_."

With a mingling of alarm and satisfaction Mother Bonneton obeyed the
summons, and a moment later, as she