It may mean so much."
"Oh, I quite understand that," cried Mollie. "My heart simply aches
and aches when I think of poor, sweet little Rita. But--really I don't
think I can be of the least tiny bit of use."
Their glances met, and Margaret read hostility in the shallow eyes.
Mollie, who had been wavering, now for some reason had become
confirmed in her original determination to remain silent. Margaret
stood up.
"It is no good, then," she said. "We must hope that Rita will be
traced by the police. Good-bye, Miss Gretna. I am so sorry you cannot
help."
"And so am I!" declared Mollie. "It is perfectly sweet of you to take
such an interest, and I feel a positive worm. But what can I do?"
As Margaret was stepping into her little runabout car, which awaited
her at the door, a theory presented itself to account for Mollie's
sudden hostility. It had developed, apparently, as a result of
Margaret's reference to the Home office inquiry. Of course! Mollie
would naturally be antagonistic to a commission appointed to suppress
the drug traffic.
Convinced that this was the correct explanation, Margaret drove away,
reflecting bitterly that she had been guilty of a strategical error
which it was now too late to rectify.
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