Fleming Stone mused. This seemed a strange thing to do, at least in view of the later events, but then, if Miss Frayne had been the guilty one, and had made up all this story of overheard conversation, surely she would not have done anything so peculiar as to make that detailed memorandum; or if she did, would not have told of it. "I have, of course, a copy of that memorandum," continued Stone; "what I want is for you to tell me again why you think it could not have been entirely a soliloquy on the part of Miss Carrington." "For two reasons. First, I have lived with the lady for four years, and never have I known her to talk to herself or soliloquize aloud. Of course, this does not prove that she never did so, but I know it was not her habit. Second, nobody in soliloquy ever would use that definite intonation which is always used in speaking _to_ a person. You know yourself, Mr. Stone, that a soliloquy is voiced slowly, mumblingly, and usually in disjointed or partially incoherent sentences. The talk I heard was in clear concise speeches unmistakably addressed to somebody present. She could not in a soliloquy use that direct form of address, even if talking to some one in her imagination. She would not keep it up, but would go off in a reverie or drop into impersonal thought. I wish I could make this more clear to you." "You do make it clear, Miss Frayne. I know just what you mean. I quite agree that one could easily tell the difference between a spoken soliloquy and remarks addressed to a hearer. But you heard no replies?" "None at all. But I hold that is not peculiar, for while Miss Carrington's voice was especially high and carrying, an ordinarily low voice would not be audible through that closed door. You can prove that by simple experiment." "I have," said Fleming Stone. "I have tried it, and as you say, an ordinary voice in a low tone is not audible. But Miss Carrington's must have been raised unnecessarily, to allow of its being heard." Stone watched Anita's face as she listened to this. But she only replied, with a shrug of indifference, "I can't say as to that. I heard every word clearly, that's all I can tell." "Suppose she had been talking to a picture of some one, say a photograph of Miss Stuart or of Mr. Loria, or of Count Charlier, would her tone of voice then be explicable?"