Or so she thought.
She had consented to this dictagraphic inspection of her husband's
intrigue merely to confirm or refute gossip. She had had more than
evidence enough to satisfy her. Her first reaction to it was a
primitive lust for revenge.
Once or twice she blazed with such anger that she rose to tear the
wire loose from the wall and end the torment. But her curiosity
restrained her. She set the earpiece to her ear again.
At length she formed her resolution to act. She called out,
"Mr. Hodshon, come here!"
He came in and found her a pillar of rage.
"I've heard enough. I'll do what I refused before. I'll go with you
and break in."
Hodshon was dazed. He was not ready to act. She had refused his plan
to break in according to the classic standards. He had let the plan
lapse and accepted Mrs. Cheever as a poor rich wretch whom he had
contracted to provide with a certain form of morbid entertainment.
He could do nothing now but stammer:
"Well--well--is that so? Do you really? You know you didn't--
O' course--Well, let's see now. You know we ain't prepared. I told
you we had to have a c'rob'rating witness. It wouldn't be legal if we
were to--Still, they probably would accept you as witness and us as
corroboration, but you wouldn't want to go on the stand and tell what
you found--not a nice refined lady like you are. The witness-stand
is no place for a lady, anyway.
"The thing is if you could get some gentleman friend to go with you
and you two break in.
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