“I certainly think they are helped in all they do by evil spirits.”

“Do you approve of such proceedings?”

“I don’t think them right.  I don’t think we have any right to pry into the Unknown.  Some day, undoubtedly, it will be given us to know, but until that day comes, we had far better leave it alone.”

“If you think like that,” Shiel said, “how can you reconcile yourself to working for these people?”

“How can I help myself?” Lilian Rosenberg answered.  “Beggars can’t be choosers.  I am not responsible for what they do.”

“But supposing you knew they were about to commit a very heinous crime, wouldn’t you feel it your duty to try and circumvent them?”

“That depends,” Lilian Rosenberg said.  “If I could stop them without running any risk of losing my post, then I would probably try to stop them, but if stopping them meant being ‘sacked,’ I most certainly shouldn’t.  It isn’t so easy to get posts nowadays—­especially good paying posts like this.  What do you take me for, a fool!”

“Then you don’t believe in self-sacrifice, even for a friend?” Shiel said slowly.

“That depends on the degree of friendship,” Lilian replied.  “If it were for some one I liked very much, then—­perhaps!”

“Is there any one you like very much!  I, somehow, couldn’t fancy you being very fond of any one.”

“Couldn’t you?” Lilian said, with a faint laugh.  “You don’t think me capable of any deep affection.  You forget, perhaps, that a woman doesn’t always wear her heart on her sleeve.”

“I confess I don’t understand women,” Shiel said, “and I had best come to the point at once.  I happen to know that the trio—­or at least one of the trio—­is contemplating doing something ultra-abominable—­a cruel and shameful wrong, which I particularly wish to prevent.  But I may not be able to do anything without your help!  Will you help me?”

“How can I?” Lilian asked.

“Why, by finding out something which might be damning evidence against them, or by stating your opinion in Court.  There is only one way of staying the trio from doing this dastardly thing, and that is by getting this case, which is now being tried, to go against them.”

“Well, and supposing, by some chance, the defendants should win!  What would become of me?”

“Ah! that is where your self-sacrifice would come in!  It would be a noble action.”

“How does this wrong, you say they are about to perpetrate, touch on you personally?”

“It touches on some one with whom I am personally acquainted.”

“Some one you like?”

“Yes!”

“A relation?”

“That I can’t say.”

“Then I can’t help you.  I am naturally inquisitive; curiosity is, as you know, a woman’s privilege.  You must tell me all.”

“It’s for a friend, then!”

“A man?”

“No,” Shiel replied, “for a girl!”