Two maid-servants from "The Silver Fleece Inn" were the next witnesses. These testified to the time when Robert Durnford had gone out on the Sunday night, but were unable to state the hour of his return. One of them declared she had heard the stranger talking to the waiter in the hall at a quarter-past ten, and that she thought she had heard the front door close just before. Upon her Mr Windgate pounced. "Your bed-room is at the top of the house?" "Yes, sir. But the 'ouse isn't an 'igh one." "I didn't ask you that. Now, how do you know it was a quarter-past ten? Had you a watch?" "Yes, sir." "And you looked at it?" "Yes, sir." "Was it keeping the right time?" "Yes, sir. That is, I set it by the large clock in the passage." "When?" "The day before." "Oh! You did, did you?"--making a note. "Now, had you been asleep at the time?" "No, sir. I was just goin' to drop off when I heard gentlemen's voices in the passage." "And who were the `gentlemen'?" "They was Mr Durnford and Grainger, the waiter." "Now you are on your oath," said Mr Windgate impressively, fixing the witness with a stern look that nearly drove the luckless young woman wild with terror and apprehension. "Are you ready to swear that the voice you heard talking to--a--Grainger was that of Mr Durnford?" "Well, sir, I don't know about swearing, but I'm positive it was." "Indeed. You are singularly confident, young woman," sarcastically. "But no matter. We shall soon show that, like most positive people, this witness is quite at fault. You are quite right not to swear. You may go." "Stephen Devine."