away for the night, so
I closed up the front of the house, and went to bed. That's all I know
about the matter, sir--until I came down-stairs this morning."

"You heard no sound in the night--no revolver shot?"

"No, sir. But my room is on the third floor, and at the other end of the
house, sir. I couldn't hear a shot fired in the office, I'm sure, sir."

"And you found no weapon of any sort in the office this morning?"

"No, sir; Louis and I both looked for that, but there was none in the
room. Of that I'm sure, sir."

"That will do, Lambert."

"Yes, sir; thank you, sir."

"One moment," said I, wishing to know the exact condition of the house
at midnight. "You say, Lambert, you closed up the front of the house.
Does that mean there was a back door open?"

"It means I locked the front door, sir, and put the chain on. The
library door opening on to the veranda I did not lock, for, as I said,
Mr. Crawford always locks that and the windows in there when he is there
late. The back door I left on the night latch, as Louis was spending the
evening out."

"Oh, Louis was spending the evening out, was he?" exclaimed Mr. Orville.
"I think that should be looked into, Mr. Coroner. Louis said nothing of
this in his testimony."

Coroner Monroe turned again to Louis and asked him where he was the
evening before.

The man was now decidedly agitated, but by an effort he controlled
himself and answered steadily enough:

"I have tell you that Mr. Crawford say I may go wherever I like. And so,
last evening I spend with a young lady."

"At what time did you go out?"

"At half after the eight, sir."

"And what time did you return?"

"I return about eleven."

"And did you then see a light in Mr. Crawford's office?"

Louis hesitated a moment. It could easily be seen that he was pausing
only to enable himself to speak naturally and clearly, but it was only
after one of those darting glances at Miss Lloyd that he replied:

"I could not see Mr. Crawford's office, because I go around the other
side of the house. I make my entree by the back door; I go straight to
my room, and I know nothing of my master until I go to his room this
morning and find him not there."

"Then you didn't go to his room last night on your return?"

"As I pass his door, I see it open, and his light low, so I know he is
still below stair."

"And you did not pass by the library on your way round the house?"

Louis's face turned a shade whiter th