Mrs. Johns was called, following Miss Lee. I watched her carefully on the stand. I had never fathomed Mrs. Johns, or her attitude toward the rest of the party. I had thought, at the beginning of the cruise, that Vail and she were incipient lovers. But she had taken his death with a calmness that was close to indifference. There was something strange and inexplicable in her tigerish championship of Turner—and it remains inexplicable even now. I have wondered since—was she in love with Turner, or was she only a fiery partisan? I wonder! She testified with an insolent coolness that clearly irritated the prosecution—thinking over her replies, refusing to recall certain things, and eyeing the jury with long, slanting glances that set them, according to their type, either wriggling or ogling. The first questions were the usual ones. Then: “Do you recall the night of the 31st of July?” “Can you be more specific?” “I refer to the night when Captain Richardson found the prisoner in the chart-room and ordered him on deck.” “I recall that, yes.” “Where were you during the quarrel?” “I was behind Mr. Vail.” “Tell us about it, please.” “It was an ordinary brawl. The captain knocked the mate down.” “Did you hear the mate threaten the captain?” “No. He went on deck, muttering; I did not hear what was said.” “After the crimes, what did you do?” “We established a dead-line at the foot of the forward companion. The other was locked.” “Was there a guard at the top of the companion?” “Yes; but we trusted no one.” “Where was Mr. Turner?” “Ill, in his cabin.” “How ill?” “Very. He was delirious.” “Did you allow any one down?” “At first, Leslie, a sort of cabin-boy and deck steward, who seemed to know something of medicine. Afterward we would not allow him, either.” “Why?” “We did not trust him.” “This Leslie—why had you asked him to sleep in the storeroom?” “I—was afraid.” “Will you explain why you were afraid?” “Fear is difficult to explain, isn’t it? If one knows why one is afraid, one—er—generally isn’t.” “That’s a bit subtle, I’m afraid. You were afraid, then, without knowing why?” “Yes.” “Had you a revolver on board?’” “Yes.” “Whose revolver was kept on the cabin table?” “Mine. I always carry one.” “Always?” “Yes.” “Then—have you one with you now?” “Yes.” “When you asked the sailor Burns to let you see the axe, what did you give as a reason?” “The truth—curiosity.” “Then, having seen the axe, where did you go?” “Below.” “Please explain the incident of the two articles Mr. Goldstein showed to the jury yesterday, the shirt and waistcoat.” “That was very simple. Mr. Turner had been very ill. We took turns in caring for him. I spilled a bowl of broth over the garments that were shown, and rubbed them out in the bathroom. They were hung in the cabin used by Mr. Vail to dry, and I forgot them when we were packing.” The attorney for the defense cross-examined her: “What color were the stains you speak of?”