Merrington looked at the position of the housekeeper's room on the plan of the moat-house which Caldew had drawn. As she said, it was a considerable distance to her room, which was in the old portion of the house, near the rear, and on the ground floor. "Were you alone in your room?" he asked. "No. My daughter was sitting with me." To a quick ear it may have seemed that the answer was a trifle long in coming. Merrington shook his head irritably. Really, it seemed impossible to reach the end of the people who were in this infernal moat-house at the time of the murder. "Does your daughter live with you here?" he asked. "Oh, no. She came to see me yesterday afternoon, and stayed all night because she missed her train back after--after the tragedy." "Is she here now?" "No. She went away by an early train. She is employed as a milliner at Stading, the market town, which is ten miles away." "She lives there, I suppose?" "Yes. She lives in." "Who is her employer?" "Mr. Closeby, the draper. Daniel Closeby and Son is the name of the firm." Merrington made another note in his pocket-book. It sounded plausible enough, but the girl must be added to the lengthening list of people in the case who would have to be seen. "I think that is all I need detain you for, Mrs. Rath," he said. The housekeeper lingered to inquire when the gentlemen would like their lunch. Merrington, who had breakfasted early and passed an arduous morning, replied bluntly that it could not be too soon to please him. "I'll have it served in the small breakfast-room in a quarter of an hour," said Mrs. Rath, hurrying away. Her whole bearing, as she departed, indicated such an air of irrepressible relief at having passed through a trying ordeal that all Merrington's former doubts of her revived. "I'd give something to remember where I've seen that infernal woman before," he ejaculated, slapping his thigh emphatically. "What infernal woman?" asked Captain Stanhill, who had come to the conclusion that he did not like Superintendent Merrington or his style of conversation. "Why, that woman who has just left the room--that housekeeper. I've seen her before somewhere, in very different circumstances, but I cannot recall where. I recollect her face distinctly--particularly her eyes. I flatter myself I never forget a pair of eyes. Confound it, where the devil have I seen her?" Captain Stanhill turned away indifferently, and the conversation was terminated by the appearance of Detective Caldew, who appeared in the doorway as Mrs. Rath left the room. "Dr. Holmes is waiting in the drawing-room if you wish to see him," he announced. "Bring him here," commanded Merrington curtly. He had a great notion of his self-importance, and had no intention of dancing attendance on a mere country practitioner.