Winthrop rose, goaded by the scornful looks of the others. "I may have had the motive and the opportunity to kill Senator Carew," he admitted sullenly, "but I did not have--the weapon. The criminal sits there,"--he pointed at Eleanor;--"I am absolutely positive of her guilt, for the letter file used to kill the Senator belonged to a silver desk set given her by Miss Cynthia Carew." Thornton frowned and turned a troubled countenance toward Eleanor, who nodded reassuringly as she rose to her feet, stepped back to Douglas' side, and, leaning on the back of the chair she had just vacated, addressed the Secretary. "I am a young girl, Mr. Secretary," she began, "and, living alone as I do, I have been forced on numerous occasions to use my own judgment. It would have been better, perhaps, had I spoken of certain events before this, but I was so alarmed by the position in which I found myself placed that I foolishly held my tongue. I had hoped that certain facts would not become public. Those facts Mr. Winthrop has maliciously distorted. I have been guilty of a blunder, not a crime." "I would be most happy to believe you, Miss Thornton," said the Secretary gravely; "but to probe this matter to the bottom I must ask certain questions." "Which I will gladly answer." "Did Senator Carew call on you on Monday night?" "He did, reaching my house about nine-thirty, just before the rain commenced." "Did anyone else know that he was there?" "Only my Japanese butler, Fugi, who admitted him. My cousin, Mrs. Truxton, who is spending the winter with me, had gone to bed immediately after dinner." "Was Annette in the house?" asked Brett quickly. "No, it was her evening out. She returned shortly after the Senator left." "At what hour did he go?" questioned the Secretary. "About half-past twelve o'clock." "Wasn't that rather an unusual hour for him to stay?" Eleanor colored warmly. "It was most unusual," she admitted. "But the pouring rain was responsible for that. He telephoned for a herdic cab or a taxi, but they were all engaged, and he waited, hoping that one would eventually be sent to my house." "Mr. Winthrop spoke of an awning at your door, Miss Thornton," again broke in Brett. "I have passed your house a number of times and have never seen one." "I had a large tea on Monday afternoon, and had the awning put up for that occasion, as the weather was threatening and my house stands some distance from the curb. The awning was removed early the next morning." "It is not so very far from your house to the Senator's residence," mused the Secretary. "I should have thought, considering the lateness of the hour, that he would have walked home." "But he was not going home, Mr. Secretary. He told me that he was going to drive to your house, as he had to see you immediately on your return that night." "Indeed!" The Secretary was bending forward in his eagerness. "Did the Senator state what he wished to see me about?"