him than yourself, Miss
Leavenworth; did he never give you any reason for this evident
partiality?"

"None but his pleasure, sir."

Her answers up to this point had been so straightforward and
satisfactory that a gradual confidence seemed to be taking the place
of the rather uneasy doubts which had from the first circled about this
woman's name and person. But at this admission, uttered as it was in
a calm, unimpassioned voice, not only the jury, but myself, who had so
much truer reason for distrusting her, felt that actual suspicion in her
case must be very much shaken before the utter lack of motive which this
reply so clearly betokened.

Meanwhile the coroner continued: "If your uncle was as kind to you as
you say, you must have become very much attached to him?"

"Yes, sir," her mouth taking a sudden determined curve.

"His death, then, must have been a great shock to you?"

"Very, very great."

"Enough of itself to make you faint away, as they tell me you did, at
the first glimpse you had of his body?"

"Enough, quite."

"And yet you seemed to be prepared for it?"

"Prepared?"

"The servants say you were much agitated at finding your uncle did not
make his appearance at the breakfast table."

"The servants!" her tongue seemed to cleave to the roof of her mouth;
she could hardly speak.

"That when you returned from his room you were very pale."

Was she beginning to realize that there was some doubt, if not actual
suspicion, in the mind of the man who could assail her with questions
like these? I had not seen her so agitated since that one memorable
instant up in her room. But her mistrust, if she felt any, did not long
betray itself. Calming herself by a great effort, she replied, with a
quiet gesture--

"That is not so strange. My uncle was a very methodical man; the least
change in his habits would be likely to awaken our apprehensions."

"You were alarmed, then?"

"To a certain extent I was."

"Miss Leavenworth, who is in the habit of overseeing the regulation of
your uncle's private apartments?"

"I am, sir."

"You are doubtless, then, acquainted with a certain stand in his room
containing a drawer?"

"Yes, sir."

"How long is it since you had occasion to go to this drawer?"

"Yesterday," visibly trembling at the admission.

"At what time?"

"Near noon, I should judge."

"Was the pistol he was accustomed to keep there in its place at the
time?"

"I presume so; I did not o