ired Mr. Byrd, as he followed the
other to the door.

"On the contrary," was the polite response.

And Mr. Byrd found himself satisfied on that score.

Mr. Ferris had no sooner left the room than the coroner came in.

"Well," cried he, with no unnecessary delay, "I want you."

Mr. Byrd rose.

"Have you telegraphed to New York?" he asked.

"Yes, and expect an answer every minute. There will be no difficulty
about that. The superintendent is my friend, and will not be likely to
cross me in my expressed wish."

"But----" essayed the detective.

"We have no time for buts," broke in the coroner. "The inquest begins in
earnest to-morrow, and the one witness we most want has not yet been
found. I mean the man or the woman who can swear to seeing some one
approach or enter the murdered woman's house between the time the
milkman left it at half-past eleven and the hour she was found by Mr.
Orcutt, lying upon the floor of her dining-room in a dying condition.
That such a witness exists I have no doubt. A street in which there are
six houses, every one of which has to be passed by the person entering
Widow Clemmens' gate, must produce one individual, at least, who can
swear to what I want. To be sure, all whom I have questioned so far say
that they were either eating dinner at the time or were in the kitchen
serving it up; but, for all that, there were plenty who saw the tramp,
and two women, at least, who are ready to take their oath that they not
only saw him, but watched him long enough to observe him go around to
the Widow Clemmens' kitchen door and turn about again and come away as
if for some reason he had changed his mind about entering. Now, if there
were two witnesses to see all that, there must have been one somewhere
to notice that other person, known or unknown, who went through the
street but a few minutes before the tramp. At all events, I believe such
a witness can be found, and I mean to have him if I call up every man,
woman, and child who was in the lane at the time. But a little
foreknowledge helps a coroner wonderfully, and if you will aid me by
making judicious inquiries round about, time will be gained, and,
perhaps, a clue obtained that will lead to a direct knowledge of the
perpetrator of this crime."

"But," inquired the detective, willing, at least, to discuss the subject
with the coroner, "is it absolutely necessary that the murderer should
have advanced from the street? Is there no way he co