Society ladies turned
eagerly in their seats to take in through their _lorgnons_ every detail
of the interruption.

"Remove that woman," the judge sternly commanded.

Several policemen hastened to her, and the girl was partly hustled and
partly carried out of court, shrieking as she went. When the commotion
caused by the scene subsided, the judge irritably requested to be
informed who the woman was.

"I don't know, my lord," replied Mr. Walters. "Perhaps--" He stopped and
bent over to Detective Rolfe, who was pulling at his gown. "Er--yes, I'm
informed by Detective Rolfe of Scotland Yard, my lord, that the young
woman is a witness in the case."

"Then why was she permitted to remain in court?" asked Sir Henry Hodson
angrily. "It is a piece of gross carelessness."

"I do not know, my lord. I was unaware she was a witness until this
moment," returned Mr. Walters, with a discreet glance in the direction of
Detective Rolfe, as an indication to His Honour that the judicial storm
might safely veer in that direction. Sir Henry took the hint and
administered such a stinging rebuke to Detective Rolfe that that
officer's face took on a much redder tint before it was concluded. Then
the judge motioned to Mr. Walters to resume the case.

Counsel, with his index finger still in the place in his brief where he
had been interrupted, rose to his feet again and turned to the jury.

"Birchill returned to the flat at Westminster shortly after midnight," he
continued. "Hill had been compelled by Birchills threats to remain at the
flat with the girl while Birchill visited Riversbrook, and the first
thing Birchill told him on his return was that he had found Sir Horace
Fewbanks dead in his house when he entered it. On his way back from
committing the crime belated caution had probably dictated to Birchill
the wisdom of endeavouring to counteract his previous threat to murder
Sir Horace Fewbanks. He probably remembered that Hill, who had heard the
threat, was an unwilling participator in the plan for the burglary, and
might therefore denounce him to the police for the greater crime if he
(Birchill) admitted that he had committed it. In order to guard against
this contingency still further Birchill forced Hill to join in writing a
letter to Scotland Yard, acquainting them with the murder, and the fact
that the body was lying in the empty house. Birchill's object in acting
thus was a twofold one. He dared not trust Hill to pretend to dis