Her gaze slowly wandered over the faces of the servants, Mrs. Pierce, Mr. Philip Crawford, the jurors, and, lastly, dwelt for a moment on the now anxious, worried countenance of Gregory Hall. Then she said slowly, but in an even, unemotional voice: “It was last night at dinner. After dinner was over, my uncle went out, and before he returned I had gone to my room.” “Was there anything unusual about his appearance or demeanor at dinner-time?” “No; I noticed nothing of the sort.” “Was he troubled or annoyed about any matter, that you know of?” “He was annoyed about one matter that has been annoying him for some time: that is, my engagement to Mr. Hall.” Apparently this was the answer the coroner had expected, for he nodded his head in a satisfied way. The jurors, too, exchanged intelligent glances, and I realized that the acquaintances of the Crawfords were well informed as to Miss Lloyd's romance. “He did not approve of that engagement?” went on the coroner, though he seemed to be stating a fact, rather than asking a question. “He did not,” returned Miss Lloyd, and her color rose as she observed the intense interest manifest among her hearers. “And the subject was discussed at the dinner table?” “It was.” “What was the tenor of the conversation?” “To the effect that I must break the engagement.” “Which you refused to do?” “I did.” Her cheeks were scarlet now, but a determined note had crept into her voice, and she looked at her betrothed husband with an air of affectionate pride that, it seemed to me, ought to lift any man into the seventh heaven. But I noted Mr. Hall's expression with surprise. Instead of gazing adoringly at this girl who was thus publicly proving her devotion to him, he sat with eyes cast down, and frowning--positively frowning--while his fingers played nervously with his watch-chain. Surely this case required my closest attention, for I place far more confidence in deductions from facial expression and tones of the voice, than from the discovery of small, inanimate objects. And if I chose to deduce from facial expressions I had ample scope in the countenances of these two people. I was particularly anxious not to jump at an unwarrantable conclusion, but the conviction was forced upon me then and there that these two people knew more about the crime than they expected to tell. I certainly did not suspect either of them to be touched with guilt, but I was equally sure that they were not ingenuous in their testimony. While I knew that they were engaged, having heard it from both of them, I could not think that the course of their love affair was running smoothly. I found myself drifting into idle speculation as to whether this engagement was more desired by one than the other, and if so, by which.