Fallon readily acquiesced, and Nick paused and questioned the woman who had admitted them. He learned that her name was Margaret Dawson; that she was the nearest neighbor to the rectory, and that she had hurried to assist Mrs. Kane, the housekeeper, upon learning her cries when she discovered the terrible crime. “Nora was nearly out of her bed, sir, and didn’t know what to do,” she explained. “So I telephoned to the police station, sir, and was told to let things alone till the officers came. That was not long, sir, and nothing has been touched, not even Father Cleary’s body. An officer is in the library, sir, where it’s lying.” “Mrs. Kane is the only servant?” questioned Nick, glancing at the sobbing woman in the adjoining room. “Yes, sir. She is quite deaf, sir, and heard no disturbance during the night. She went to bed before nine o’clock last evening, leaving Father Cleary alone in the library.” “She has told you this?” “Yes, sir. The library door was closed when she came down this morning to get breakfast, but she did not think of anything wrong on that account. When the meal was nearly ready, however, she went up to call Father Cleary and found his room had not been used. Then she came down to the library, sir, and discovered what had been done.” Seeing the housekeeper gazing anxiously at him, Nick entered the room and briefly questioned her. She could tell him only that Father Cleary had had no visitors early in the evening, and that he expected none, as far as she knew, and that he had not lately appeared at all troubled, or in any way apprehensive. That was about all that the elderly housekeeper could tell him, and Nick turned to the waiting detective. “She is too deaf to have heard any disturbance in the library, Fallon, after having gone to her bedroom,” he said quietly, with a gesture directing the two women to remain in the front room. “Yes, surely,” Fallon agreed. “Come. We will go into the library.” Nick led the way through the dim, simply furnished hall. He passed a passageway leading to a side door. Beyond it was the library, in the east side of the house, with a dining room nearly opposite across the hall, and a kitchen and porch in the rear. The door of the library was then open. A policeman who had heard them enter had stepped into the hall and was waiting for them. “One moment, Fallon,” said Nick. “What has been done in this room, Grady, since the crime was discovered.” “Nothing, sir,” said the policeman, gazing curiously at him. “Both women say they have not entered the room, though the housekeeper opened this door. I have disturbed nothing. Things are just as I found them.” “Very good.” Nick paused on the threshold of the open door and studied with searching scrutiny the tragic scene that met his gaze. CHAPTER II. CONFLICTING EVIDENCE.