too genuine to be dissembled and too transparent to be
misunderstood.

As her testimony related mostly to Hannah, and what she knew of her, and
her remarkable disappearance, I shall confine myself to a mere synopsis
of it.

As far as she, Molly, knew, Hannah was what she had given herself out
to be, an uneducated girl of Irish extraction, who had come from
the country to act as lady's-maid and seamstress to the two Misses
Leavenworth. She had been in the family for some time; before Molly
herself, in fact; and though by nature remarkably reticent, refusing to
tell anything about herself or her past life, she had managed to become
a great favorite with all in the house. But she was of a melancholy
nature and fond of brooding, often getting up nights to sit and think in
the dark: "as if she was a lady!" exclaimed Molly.

This habit being a singular one for a girl in her station, an attempt
was made to win from the witness further particulars in regard to
it. But Molly, with a toss of her head, confined herself to the one
statement. She used to get up nights and sit in the window, and that was
all she knew about it.

Drawn away from this topic, during the consideration of which, a little
of the sharpness of Molly's disposition had asserted itself, she went on
to state, in connection with the events of the past night, that Hannah
had been ill for two days or more with a swelled face; that it grew so
bad after they had gone upstairs, the night before, that she got out
of bed, and dressing herself--Molly was closely questioned here, but
insisted upon the fact that Hannah had fully dressed herself, even to
arranging her collar and ribbon--lighted a candle, and made known her
intention of going down to Miss Eleanore for aid.

"Why Miss Eleanore?" a juryman here asked.

"Oh, she is the one who always gives out medicines and such like to the
servants."

Urged to proceed, she went on to state that she had already told all she
knew about it. Hannah did not come back, nor was she to be found in the
house at breakfast time.

"You say she took a candle with her," said the coroner. "Was it in a
candlestick?"

"No, sir; loose like."

"Why did she take a candle? Does not Mr. Leavenworth burn gas in his
halls?"

"Yes, sir; but we put the gas out as we go up, and Hannah is afraid of
the dark."

"If she took a candle, it must be lying somewhere about the house. Now,
has anybody seen a stray candle?"

"Not as I knows on, s