"In the building just across the street from the Museum of the Past--the one you were just talking about to that other woman." "Mrs. Whychek, do you recognize the woman sitting over there?" the Prosecutor asked as he pointed to Isobel d'Larte. "Indeed I do. I saw her most everyday." "Would you tell us the circumstances." "Well, from the window in my office I have a very good view of the park that is next to the museum. About a month ago I began noticing that woman in the park. I couldn't help but notice her, she came so often." "Alone, Mrs. Whychek?" "At first yes. She'd go into the museum, stay about two hours or so, then come out and sit in the park. She never did anything but sit." "Was she always alone?" "I was just coming to that. After about a week I noticed that a man would come and sit with her in the park." "Could you describe the man?" "No, I'm afraid I couldn't. He always wore a long overcoat and a hat pulled down over his face. Both the overcoat and the hat were very old though. I did notice that. They looked like they might have dated from around 1950." "And what did this man and Mrs. d'Larte do in the park?" "Just sat. Talked I guess. I never saw them kiss or anything if that's what you mean. Of course many times they would still be sitting there when I left work. What they did after that I don't know." "But Mrs. d'Larte definitely did meet a man in the park." "Oh, yes. She met him nearly every day for almost a month." "Thank you. Your witness." The Defense rose slowly and walked over to where Mrs. Whychek sat. "Remember you are under oath, Mrs. Whychek," he said. "You say Mrs. d'Larte and this man merely sat and talked?" "As far as I could tell that's all they did. Of course I didn't watch them every minute." "Then you can say that they never did anything out of the way, that their meetings, if they were that, were innocent?" "As far as I could tell they were." "Could you say whether the meetings were prearranged?" "I really couldn't, but--" "That will be all, thank you," the Defense interrupted. So the first day of the trial went. There seemed no doubt that Isobel d'Larte was guilty. Her friends admitted loudly that poor Isobel had scandalized them to the core. The papers labeled Isobel queer and hinted that her lover, whoever he might be, killed Mr. d'Larte for her. Old fashioned Isobel, they called her. Some had other names for her. * * * * * On the second day of the trial the Defense called its witnesses. There were only three. Two were character witnesses who hesitantly assured the court that Isobel d'Larte could not have killed her husband. She really was a good woman. The third witness was Isobel herself. When she was called she rose very slowly and walked to the witness stand. She was sworn in and seated herself in the witness chair. Her face and hands were chalk white against the blackness of her dress.