"How did you happen to enter the present Lady Wilmersley's service?" "Lord Wilmersley sent for me when he was on his wedding journey." "Had you seen him after you left Geralton?" "From time to time." "Do you know whether his lordship had any enemies?" "Not of late years." "Then you did know some. Who were they?" "Those that he had are either dead or have forgiven," Valdriguez answered, and as she did so, she fingered the cross on her breast. "So that you can think of no one likely to have resorted to such a terrible revenge?" "No one, sir." "On the night of the murder you did not assist her ladyship to undress, so I understand?" "I never did. From the time her ladyship left her room to go to dinner I never saw her again till the following morning." "And you noticed nothing unusual that evening?" "I can't say that. Her ladyship was very much excited. She cried and begged me to help her to escape." A murmur of excitement ran through the hall. "What did you say to her?" "I told her that she was his lordship's lawful wife; that she had vowed before God to honour and obey him in all things." "Had she ever made an attempt to escape?" "No, sir." "Did she ever give you any reason for wishing to do so?" "She told me that his lordship threatened to shut her up in a lunatic asylum, but I assured her he would never do so. He loved her too much." "You consider that he was very devoted to her?" The woman closed her eyes for a second. "He loved her as I have never before known a man love a woman," she answered, with suppressed vehemence. "Why then did he send for the doctors to commit her to an institution?" "I do not know." At this point of the interrogation Cyril scribbled a few words, which he gave to one of the footmen to carry to the coroner. When the latter had read them, he asked: "Did you consider her ladyship a dangerous lunatic?" "No, sir." "Why, then, did you prophesy that she would kill your master?" The woman trembled slightly and her hand again sought the cross. "I--I believed Lord Wilmersley's time had come, but I knew not how he would die. I did not know that she would be the instrument--only I feared it." "Why did you think his lordship's days were numbered?" "Sir, if I were to tell you my reasons, you would say that they were not reasons. You would call them superstitions and me a foolish old woman. I believe what I believe, and you, what you have been taught. God shall judge. Suffice it, sir, that my reasons for believing that his lordship would die soon are not such as would appeal to your common-sense." "H'm, well--I confess that signs and omens are not much in my line, but I must really insist upon your giving some explanation as to why you feared that your mistress would murder Lord Wilmersley." The woman's lips twitched convulsively and her eyes glowed with sombre fire.