“You are a little sharp, Miss Marlay.  I understand that Mrs. Ferret does not know the contents of that paper.  As the confidential legal adviser of Mr. Plausaby and of Mrs. Plausaby, I have a right to ask what the contents of that paper were.”

“As the confidential legal adviser—­” Isa stopped and stammered.  She was about to retort that as confidential legal adviser to Mrs. Plausaby he might ask that lady herself, but she was afraid of his doing that very thing; so she stopped short and, because she was confused, grew a little angry, and told Mr. Conger that he had no right to ask any questions, and then got up and disdainfully walked out of the room.  And the lawyer, left alone, meditated that women had a way, when they were likely to be defeated, of getting angry, or pretending to get angry.  And you never could do anything with a woman when she was angry.  Or, as Conger framed it in his mind, a mad dog was easier to handle than a mad woman.

As the paper signed the day before could not have been legally executed, Plausaby and his lawyer guessed very readily that it probably did not relate to property.  The next step was an easy one to the client if not to the lawyer.  It must relate to the crime—­it was a solution of the mystery.  Plausaby knew well enough that a confession had been made to Lurton, but he had not suspected that Isabel would go so far as to put it into writing.  The best that could be done was to have Conger frame a counter-declaration that her confession had been signed under a misapprehension—­had been obtained by coercion, over-persuasion, and so forth.  Plausaby knew that his wife would sign anything if he could present the matter to her alone.  But, to get rid of Isabel Marlay?

A very coward now in the presence of Isa, he sent the lawyer ahead, while he followed close behind.

“Miss Marlay,” said Mr. Conger, smiling blandly but speaking with decision, “it will be necessary for me to speak to Mrs. Plausaby for a few minutes alone.”

It is curious what an effect a tone of authority has.  Isa rose and would have gone out, but Mrs. Plausaby said, “Don’t leave me, don’t leave me, Isa; they want to arrest me, I believe.”

Seeing her advantage, Miss Marlay said, “Mrs. Plausaby wishes me to stay.”

It was in vain that the lawyer insisted.  It was in vain that Mr. Plausaby stepped forward and told Mrs. Plausaby to ask Isabel to leave the room a minute.  The sick woman only drew the cover over her eyes and held fast to Isabel’s hand and said:  “No, no, don’t go—­Isa, don’t go.”

“I will not go till you ask me,” said Isa.

At last, however, Plausaby pushed himself close to his wife and said something in her ear.  She turned pale, and when he asked if she wished Isabel to go she nodded her head.

“But I won’t go at all now,” said Isa stubbornly, “unless you will go out of the room first.  Then, if Mrs. Plausaby tells me that she wishes to see you and this gentleman without my presence, I shall go.”