"Stop, Mr. Brett!" exclaimed Eleanor, who, with Douglas and the coroner, had sat too astounded to speak during the rapid colloquy between the two men. "You forget that the door to the southwest chamber occupied by Annette was locked on the _inside_, and that door was the only means of entering the room. It is only fair to you, Captain Lane,"--turning courteously to the young officer,--"to remind Mr. Brett of the very obvious fact that no one could have entered the sleeping woman's room, blown out the light, and, on leaving the room, locked and bolted the door on the inside, leaving the key in the lock." "Thanks," exclaimed Lane gratefully, as he sat down and wiped the perspiration from his white face. Brett scowled. He had hoped that his summing up of damaging facts and sudden accusation might wring a confession from Lane, or, if not that, some slip of the tongue which the other might make in his agitation might give him a clew as to how the murder was committed. He was convinced of Lane's guilt. He glanced angrily at Eleanor. Why had she intervened? Long and silently he gazed at the beautiful face. The broad forehead, delicately arched eyebrows, and the large wistful eyes, shaded by long curling eyelashes, and finely chiseled features were well worth looking at; but Brett did not see them--a new problem was puzzling his active brain. "I understood you to say, Captain Lane, that you had promised to keep your visit here a secret," he said, breaking into the conversation of the others. "To whom did you make such a promise?" "To Miss Thornton." The question was unexpected, and the answer slipped out thoughtlessly; then Lane bit his lip as he caught Eleanor's warning glance too late. Brett turned swiftly on Eleanor. "Why did you wish him to keep his visit here a secret, Miss Thornton?" "Because I was afraid Mrs. Winthrop would hear that Captain Lane and her niece had met here; my uncle might inadvertently mention it to her. Mrs. Winthrop does not approve of Captain Lane's attentions to Miss Carew," explained Eleanor quietly. "On what grounds?"--quickly. "Ask Mrs. Winthrop; she can tell you better than I." "I will," grimly. "Captain Lane," wheeling around, "why have you returned to this house at so early an hour in the morning?" "I came to inquire for Miss Carew. I asked to see Miss Thornton, and the butler showed me into this room. And this is the first opportunity I have had, Miss Eleanor, to ask you how Cynthia is this morning." His face betrayed his anxiety. "She is asleep just now," answered Eleanor, "but I hope she will be much better when she wakes up. I will tell her that you have called." "Thanks." Lane rose. He felt that he was dismissed. "Has Cynthia been told of Annette's death?" "Not yet. We explained the breaking in of the door of the southwest chamber by saying that Nicodemus had locked it and neglected to tell Colonel Thornton, who had it forced open."