"Mrs. Winthrop's attitude is incomprehensible to me," burst out Eleanor. "Fred's father, Governor Lane, was her husband's best friend, and Mr. Winthrop was under great financial obligations to him when he died. And now look at the way Mrs. Winthrop is treating that friend's son--hounding him to the gallows. Is that gratitude?" with biting scorn. "Some natures don't wear well under an obligation, and the cloven hoof crops out." Douglas pushed the window farther open. "Ingratitude is an abominable sin, and the one most frequently committed." A faint knock on the hall door interrupted him. "Come in," he called, and Brett opened the door. He drew back when he saw Douglas was not alone. "Don't go," said Eleanor, gathering up her embroidery and workbag, "I must run upstairs and ask the nurse how Miss Carew is." She hastened toward the door, which Brett still held open, but he stopped her on the threshold. "I will be greatly obliged if you will spare me half an hour, Miss Thornton; when you come downstairs again will be time enough," he added, as Eleanor stepped back into the library. Eleanor studied his impassive face intently for a second before answering, then: "I'll be down again shortly," and she disappeared up the hall. Brett closed the door carefully and selected a chair near Douglas, and sat down heavily. Douglas pulled out his cigarette case and handed it to the detective, who picked out a cigarette and, striking a match, settled back in his chair contentedly as he watched the rings of smoke curling upward. "I am glad of an opportunity to have a quiet word with you, Mr. Hunter," he began. "Things have been moving pretty swiftly to-day, and I'm free to confess that the death of Annette has stumped me. Was it murder or suicide?" "Everything points to suicide." "I'm not so sure of that," drawing his chair nearer and lowering his voice. "I've been searching Annette's belongings and have found several things which puzzle me completely." "What were they?" "Well, for one thing, the torn kimono." "What--you don't mean----?" "Exactly. Annette apparently owned a wrapper precisely like Miss Thornton's, and it was she who paid you that midnight visit when you spent the night in the library on Tuesday evening at the Carew residence. I found the wrapper upstairs among her effects. She had mended the tear very neatly, but the slip which you tore out of it that night exactly fitted the darn. I had the slip with me in my pocket and fitted the two together." "Great Scott! what on earth was she doing in the library at that hour?" "Aye, what?" significantly. "You recollect that Nicodemus testified that Annette did not want to sleep on the third floor because--'it wor too far off from her folks, an' she had to be down whar she could hear dem.' It looks as if Annette were in the habit of taking an unusual interest in her mistress' affairs."