Without taking her gaze from the coroner, Betty resumed her seat. Then she turned to Roberts. "I heard yesterday that Paul was very ill, and that you were attending him professionally. Were you with him last night?" "Yes; until Miss Ward came and then I put her in charge of the case," replied Roberts. "She can tell you what happened after my departure." Miriam Ward faced their concentrated regard with outward composure. Caught by chance in the web of circumstance, she was keenly alive to her unhappy share in the tragic occurrences of the night before. Having a high regard for her profession and throwing her heart and soul into her work she felt, however little she had been to blame, that the stigma of neglect of a patient would be laid at her door. "Before leaving, Doctor Roberts gave me full instructions," she began. "And I carried them out. My chart shows that--" "But your last entry was made shortly after midnight," pointed out Sheriff Trenholm, picking up the chart from the table at his elbow. "Why was that, Miss Ward?" "I was interrupted by the arrival of Miss Carter," she replied, and the unexpected answer brought a startled exclamation from three of her companions; then their gaze left the nurse and centered on Betty. The latter raised her eyes and regarded the trained nurse. If chiseled from marble, her white face could not have been more devoid of human expression. "God bless my soul!" ejaculated Doctor Roberts. "What were you doing here, Betty?" The girl paid not the slightest attention to him; instead she addressed Miriam, and the others were startled at her tone. "Go on with your story," she said. "Speak quickly," with a glance at her wrist watch. "Time is passing." "Miss Carter was accompanied by a clergyman." Miriam spoke more slowly, weighing her words. "I--I"--she hesitated for a brief moment--"I cannot recall his name--" "Continue," directed Dixon, as she paused. "Did Miss Carter and her companion see Mr. Abbott?" "I think they did;" she hesitated. "I feel sure they did--" "Why are you in doubt about it?" demanded Trenholm quickly. "Weren't you in the room with them?" Miriam shook her head. "Not all the time," she admitted. "The clergyman sent me downstairs to get a lamp as the one in this room had burned out. When I came back--" "Yes--what then?" Sheriff Trenholm could not restrain his impatience at her slow speech. "The clergyman had just completed the marriage service." Her words created a sensation. Doctor Roberts' eyes fairly started from his head, and Alan Mason's excited ejaculation drowned Dixon's more softly spoken exclamation. Only Guy Trenholm gave no voice to his feelings. With eyes fixed steadfastly upon Betty, he remained as emotionless apparently as she. "What transpired next?" inquired Dixon. "They left," tersely. Miriam's heart was beating quickly, and her cold fingers were playing a devil's tattoo on the arm of her chair. Before she could say more, Betty leaned forward and held up her hand.