erred to leave the bow intact. Now lift it out.
Careful, man, don't soil it; you will see why in a minute."

As I held the ribbon up, he pointed to some spots on its fresh white
surface. "Do you see those?" he asked. "Those are dust-marks, and
they were made as truly by some one's fingers, as the impressions
you noted on the mantel-shelf in the upper chamber. This pistol was
tied to her wrist after the deed; possibly by that same hand."

It was my own conclusion but it did not sound as welcome to me from
his lips as I had expected. Either my nature is narrow, or my
inordinate jealousy lays me open to the most astonishing
inconsistencies; for no sooner had he spoken these words than I
experienced a sudden revulsion against my own theory and the
suspicions which it threw upon the man whom an hour before I was
eager to proclaim a criminal.

But Coroner Z. gave me no chance for making such a fool of myself.
Rescuing the ribbon from my hands, which no doubt were running a
little too freely over its snowy surface, he smiled with the
indulgence proper from such a man to a novice like myself, and
observed quite frankly:

"You will consider these observations as confidential. You know
how to hold your tongue; that you have proved. Hold it then a
little longer. The case is not yet ripe. Mr. Jeffrey is a man
of high standing, with a hitherto unblemished reputation. It won't
do, my boy, to throw the doubt of so hideous a crime upon so fine
a gentleman without ample reason. That no such mistake may be made
and that he may have every opportunity for clearing himself, I am
going to have a confidential talk with him. Do you want to be
present?"

I flushed again; but this time from extreme satisfaction.

"I am obliged for your confidence," said I; then, with a burst of
courage born of his good nature, I inquired with due respect if my
little friend had answered his expectations. "Was she as clever as
I said?" I asked.

"Your little friend is a trump," was his blunt reply. "With what
we have learned through her and now through you, we can approach Mr.
Jeffrey to some purpose. It appears that, before leaving the house
on that Tuesday morning, he had an interview with his wife which
ought in some way to account for this tragedy. Perhaps he will tell
us about it, and perhaps he will explain how he came to wander
through the Moore house while his wife lay dying below. At all
events we will give him the opportunity