until she
lifted her head and regarded him with dark wistful eyes through a
glitter of tears.

"You had better tell me all," he said.

"Yes, I will tell you everything now," she quickly replied.

"Before you do so it is my duty to warn you that any statement you make
may be used in evidence against you at your trial," Merrington said,
with a swift resumption of his official manner. "At the same time, I
think you will be acting in your own interest by keeping nothing back."

"I quite understand. But it is such a strange story that I hardly know
how to begin."

"Tell me everything from the first. That will be the best way."

"That night I went up to Mrs. Heredith's room just to see her," she
commenced, almost in a whisper. "My mother had told me earlier in the
evening that she was alone in her room suffering from a headache. I
thought I would take the opportunity while the others were at dinner to
go up to her room and ask her if she wanted anything. So I left my
mother's room and walked quietly down the hall to the left wing. There
was nobody about. All the guests were at dinner, and the servants were
busy in the kitchen and the dining-room.

"When I got upstairs I noticed that Mrs. Heredith's door was open a
little, and I saw that there was no light in the room. I thought that
strange until I remembered she had been suffering from a bad headache,
and probably had turned off the light to rest her head. I did not knock
because I thought she might be asleep. I was just going to turn away
when I heard a sound like a sob within the room. I listened, and heard
it again. I hardly knew what to do at first, but the thought came to me
that perhaps Mrs. Heredith was worse, and needed someone. So I pushed
open the door and went in.

"I know the moat-house well, so I was aware that the switch of the
electric light was by the side of the fireplace, near the head of the
bed, and not close to the door, as in the other rooms. To turn on the
light I had to walk across the room. It was very dark, and I walked
cautiously for fear of stumbling and alarming Mrs. Heredith. Twice I
stopped to listen, and once I heard a sound like somebody whispering. I
was dreadfully nervous because I didn't know whether I was doing right
or wrong by going into Mrs. Heredith's room like that, but something
seemed to urge me on.

"I must have mistaken my direction in the dark, for I couldn't find the
electric switch. I kept running my hand along the