“Jane paused to take breath, for she talked fast and volubly, and all eyes were turned to a corner of the room, where William Yule, dressed in the careless fashion affected by artists, sat watching and listening eagerly to everything that was going on. At the mention of his wife’s name he shrugged his shoulders, and I thought for the moment that he would jump up and say something; but he evidently thought better of it, and remained as before, silent and quietly watching. “‘You showed the lady upstairs?’ asked the coroner, after an instant’s most dramatic pause. “‘Yes, sir,’ replied Jane; ‘but I went to ask the mistress first. Mrs. Yule was sitting in the drawing-room, reading. She says to me, “Show the lady up at once; and, Jane,” she says, “ask Mr. Bloggs to kindly come to the drawing-room.” I showed the lady up, and I told Mr. Bloggs, who was smoking in the library, and ’e went to the drawing-room. “‘When Annie come in,’ continued Jane with increased volubility, ‘I told ’er ’oo ’ad come, and she and me was very astonished, because we ’ad often seen Mr. William Yule come to see ’is mother, but we ’ad never seen ’is wife. “Did you see what she was like cook?” says Annie to me. “No,” I says, “the ’all gas was burnin’ that badly, and she ’ad a veil on.” Then Annie ups and says, “I must go up, cook,” she says, “for my things is all wet. I never did see such rain in all my life. I tell you my boots and petticoats is all soaked through.” Then up she runs, and I thought then that per’aps she meant to see if she couldn’t ’ear anything that was goin’ on upstairs. Presently she come down——’ “But at this point Jane’s flow of eloquence received an unexpected check. The coroner preferred to hear from Annie herself whatever the latter may have overheard, and Jane, very wrathful and indignant, had to stand aside, while Annie, who was then recalled, completed the story. “‘I don’t know what made me stop on the landing,’ she explained timidly, ‘and I’m sure I didn’t mean to listen. I was going upstairs to change my things, and put on my cap and apron, in case the mistress wanted anything. “‘Then, I don’t think I ever ’eard Mrs. Yule’s voice so loud and angry.’ “‘You stopped to listen?’ asked the coroner. “‘I couldn’t help it, sir. Mrs. Yule was shouting at the top of ’er voice. “Out of my house,” she says; “I never wish to see you or your precious husband inside my doors again.”’ “‘You are quite sure that you heard those very words?’ asked the coroner earnestly. “‘I’ll take my Bible oath on every one of them, sir,’ said Annie emphatically. ‘Then I could ’ear some one crying and moaning: “Oh! what have I done? Oh! what have I done?” I didn’t like to stand on the landing then, for fear some one should come out, so I ran upstairs, and put on my cap and apron, for I was all in a tremble, what with what I’d heard, and the storm outside, which was coming down terrible.