vy sickness. A perfect silence pervaded the assembly when
he spoke.

His statement was that he received Mrs. Manston at the threshold, and
asked her to enter the parlour. She would not do so, and stood in the
passage whilst the maid went upstairs to see that the room was in order.
The maid came down to the middle landing of the staircase, when Mrs.
Manston followed her up to the room. He did not speak ten words with her
altogether.

Afterwards, whilst he was standing at the door listening for his son
Edward's return, he saw her light extinguished, having first caught
sight of her shadow moving about the room.

THE CORONER: 'Did her shadow appear to be that of a woman undressing?'

SPRINGROVE: 'I cannot say, as I didn't take particular notice. It moved
backwards and forwards; she might have been undressing or merely pacing
up and down the room.'

Mrs. Fitler, the ostler's wife and chambermaid, said that she preceded
Mrs. Manston into the room, put down the candle, and went out. Mrs.
Manston scarcely spoke to her, except to ask her to bring a little
brandy. Witness went and fetched it from the bar, brought it up, and put
it on the dressing-table.

THE CORONER: 'Had Mrs. Manston begun to undress, when you came back?'

'No, sir; she was sitting on the bed, with everything on, as when she
came in.'

'Did she begin to undress before you left?'

'Not exactly before I had left; but when I had closed the door, and was
on the landing I heard her boot drop on the floor, as it does sometimes
when pulled off?'

'Had her face appeared worn and sleepy?'

'I cannot say as her bonnet and veil were still on when I left, for she
seemed rather shy and ashamed to be seen at the Three Tranters at all.'

'And did you hear or see any more of her?'

'No more, sir.'

Mrs. Crickett, temporary servant to Mr. Manston, said that in accordance
with Mr. Manston's orders, everything had been made comfortable in the
house for Mrs. Manston's expected return on Monday night. Mr. Manston
told her that himself and Mrs. Manston would be home late, not till
between eleven and twelve o'clock, and that supper was to be ready. Not
expecting Mrs. Manston so early, she had gone out on a very important
errand to Mrs. Leat the postmistress.

Mr. Manston deposed that in looking down the columns of Bradshaw he
had mistaken the time of the train's arrival, and hence was not at the
station when she came. The broken watch produced was his wife's--he kn