uded that it was just as
well to use a sprat to catch a mackerel. In plain English, he
determined, with reservations, to gratify Mrs. Parry's curiosity, so
that he might get a sight of what she had to show him. If he were
reticent, she would show him nothing; whereas if he told her all about
the evidence at the inquest--and that was public property--she would
certainly open her mind to him. Moreover, Steel knew the value of having
a gossip like Mrs. Parry to aid him in gaining knowledge of the
neighborhood. Finally, he saw that she was a shrewd, matter-of-fact old
person, and for the sake of making his work easy it would be as well to
conciliate her. He therefore sat down with a cheerful air, and prepared
himself for an interesting conversation.

"I shall be perfectly candid with you," said he, taking out his notes.
"These are the memoranda I made at the inquest."

"Humph! You have a bad memory I see. I," said Mrs. Parry, with emphasis,
"I carry all I know in my head. Go on."

Steel detailed the facts of the case. He related the threat of Anne
against Daisy overheard by Mrs. Morley; read out a copy of the anonymous
letter; emphasized the presence of Anne in the library for the few
minutes Morley was absent, when she would have had time to secure the
stiletto; and explained how Morley had found the very weapon near the
scene of the crime. Then he continued to relate what took place in
church during the midnight service.

"Martha James," said he, "was sitting not far from Miss Kent. The corner
was rather dark----"

"The whole church is badly lighted," interrupted Mrs. Parry. "I never
could bear smelly kerosene lamps."

"The corner was dark," resumed Steel patiently, "and Martha, as she
says, having a headache, was rather inattentive to the sermon. She saw a
man near the door--a tall man, with a great-coat and a white scarf. She
couldn't see his face plainly. He slipped along the wall during the
sermon, when the attention of everyone was fixed on the preacher,
and--as Martha saw--slipped a scrap of paper into the hand of Miss Kent.
She started, and bending towards a near lamp, read the paper."

"Did anyone else see her read it?"

"No. She placed the paper in her prayer-book, and so contrived to read
it without exciting suspicion. Martha saw the action, because she was
well placed for observation."

"And couldn't mind her own business. I know Martha James. Go on."

"After a few minutes Miss Kent seemed to grow f