The movement among the audience showed the sensation my reply had caused, and it was increased by Ella suddenly rising from her place and shrieking hysterically: "That answer is a lie--a foul lie!" "Silence!" shouted the Coroner, who, above all things, detested a scene in his Court. "If that lady interrupts again, she must be requested to leave." "Have you any further question to ask Mr Deedes?" he inquired, turning to the jury; but as no one replied, he intimated that the examination was at an end, and I felt that I had, at last, successfully passed through the ordeal I had dreaded. Retiring to a seat, my place as a witness was at once taken by Beck; but scarcely had I sunk into a chair near where Ella was sitting when I felt within my hand the object I had taken from among the things found in the dead man's possession. It had not been missed, and I wondered whether its loss would ever be detected. To keep it was, I felt, extremely dangerous; nevertheless I sat holding it in my palm, listening to the evidence of the well-known member for West Rutlandshire. His story, related in that loud, bombastic tone that had at first so prejudiced me against him, was much to the same effect as mine regarding the discovery of the body, its removal into the house, and the subsequent examination by the doctor, until there commenced the minute cross-examination. "How long have you known the deceased?" the Coroner inquired, looking up suddenly from his notes. "A few months. About six, I should think," he answered. "Have you any suspicion that he had an enemy?" "No. He was about the last man in the world who would arouse the hatred of anybody. In fact, he was exceedingly popular." "You say you have been a frequent visitor at Mrs Laing's. Now, from your own observations, have you seen anything that would lead you to the belief that he loved Miss Laing?" "Nothing whatever," he replied. "Ella was engaged to Mr Deedes, and although she was on the river a great deal with Ogle, I am confident she never for a moment regarded him as her lover." "Why are you so confident?" "Because of certain facts she has confided in me." "What are they?" He was silent. Evidently he had no intention of being led on in this manner, but, even finding himself cornered, his imperturbable coolness never deserted him, for he calmly replied, with a faint smile,-- "I refuse to answer." "Kindly reply to my question, sir, and do not waste the time of the Court," exclaimed the Coroner, with impatience. "What were these facts?" Again he was silent, twisting his gloves around his fingers uneasily. "Come, answer if you please." "Well," he replied, after considerable hesitation, "briefly, she gave me to understand that she loved Deedes, and had refused to listen to the deceased's declaration of affection." "How came she to confide this secret of hers to you?" the Coroner asked eagerly.