“You know you tried your best,” declared the irate spinster, “you know you inveigled him in here, you wheedled and cajoled and fawned and flattered——” “How well you know the process!” screamed Mrs Everett; “because you tried all your own pitiful, ineffectual cajoleries,—and all to no avail! I didn’t have to make any effort to entice Sir Herbert to call on me,—indeed, he came so frequently, I was forced to dissuade him, lest people talk——” “People always talk about you,—and rarely in flattering terms! You are well known through the house for what you are, and if you weren’t already planning to leave, you would be put out,—that I happen to know.” “You don’t know any such thing. You made that up——” “I didn’t!” “You did!” “Hush!” Wise’s peremptory tone brought a momentary silence. “Now that you’ve reached the stage of silly vituperation, it’s time to call a halt. This foolishness is uninteresting as well as unpleasant. You two ladies will answer a few questions,—in the name of the law!” The last phrase, high sounding and threatening, had its desired effect. Like most women, they had a hearty and healthy fear of that mysterious thing called the law, and when it was held over their heads it acted as a rod. “You have accused one another of the murder of Sir Herbert,” Wise began, trying to sound formal and awe-inspiring. “Have you, Mrs Everett, any grounds for such accusation other than a foolish speech about wishing the man was dead?” “No,” was the sulky answer; “that is, I have no definite grounds, but I’ve known Letitia Prall for many years and I know her to be quite capable of murder or any other crime!” “A belief in capability is not evidence,” said Wise, sternly, and turned to Letitia. “Have you, Miss Prall, definite evidence against Mrs Everett that you accuse her?” “She wanted the man dead——” “That’s not evidence!” Wise fairly thundered; “answer my question.” “Well, then, I’ve no eye-witness proof of her crime, but I do know that her daughter was out in the hall, keeping watch——” “Keeping watch over what—or whom?” “Keeping watch to see that the way was clear; that her mother might return unseen from the ground floor to her own apartment by way of the stairs.” “You mean you think Mrs Everett walked up seven flights of stairs after the deed?” “I couldn’t do it,” admitted plump Mrs Everett, drawing deep breaths at the mere thought of such a thing. “Nonsense!” retorted Miss Prall. “There’s only six flights, and they’re easy steps. But, if not for that, what _was_ Dorcas out in the hall for, all dressed, at that time of night?” “She wasn’t, so far as I know,” replied the mother. “It all hinges on that,” declared Wise, with as much earnestness as if he believed himself what he was saying. As a matter of fact he was striving, so far in vain, to gather some hint, some side light as to which way to look for the criminal, for he did not really think either of these women guilty, in deed or intent.