no but for the sake of an example will you tell me what you did with yourself since leaving the drawing room last night at ten certainly i have no reason to conceal my doings ofi said mr angrily i retired to my bedroom at ten and to bed the last i saw of madame she was standing on the door step bidding farewell to her guests in the morning i was awakened by the news of the murder and went out to walk the horror produced by the sight of that poor woman did you see the body we all saw the body till miss bull i turned them out and locked the door put in miss bull sharply it was as well that nothing should be disturbed in the room till the police arrived that was my argument and a very good one said you have a head on your shoulders miss my father was a general replied the old maid nodding and i inherit his talent for organization the next witness examined was and she refused to open her mouth unless she sat by miss bull the old maid held s hand and her into answering when she proved could not but admire the way in which miss bull managed the creature you left the drawing room with this lady he asked indicating miss bull and speaking in a tone k yes we played patience in miss bull s bedroom i did it twice at what time did you leave about eleven � just before it did the clock strike the hour when you were in your own bedroom the next morning no said trying to collect her wits when i was in the passage what were you doing in the passage it would only take you a few minutes to get to your room would it not yes put in miss bull my bedroom is on the second floor and s is on the fourth right above my head you could easily have got to your room before the clock struck i did try to admitted the girl but my aunt kept me talking sat up did you speak to your aunt at that hour yes she met me walking up to my room and me for being out of bed at that hour i said i had been with miss bull and and madame made polite remarks about me said the old maid grimly oh i can well understand what she said but it would seem mr that was the last person to see madame alive we ll see said who was not going to be taught his business even by so clever a person as miss bull was there anyone else about he asked no my aunt said that every one was in bed but me and that she would not have it the clock struck eleven and she called me names she then took me by the arm and pushed me into my room and locked the door yes she did nodded she locked the door why did she do that asked staring i don t know i wasn t doing anything grumbled but she said she wouldn t have me wandering about the house at all hours of the night and locked me in i couldn t get out this morning till miss bull let me out the yellow usually brings me my cup of tea explained miss bull and as she did not come this morning as usual i was anxious when the alarm came i went to look for in her room the key was in the door but the door was locked i released oh the key was in the door mused it would seem then that the deceased simply turned the key and left it i wonder why she locked the girl in miss bull shrugged her thin shoulders it was spite on her part she said madame never cared to see with me because i love you so said the girl with an look and miss bull patted her hand fondly it was strange thought the that so clever and refined a woman should love so stupid and coarse looking a girl but like does not always draw to like while was thus examining the witnesses train and were seated in the sitting room of the former discussing the crime was gloomy for in the unexpected death of mrs he saw the of his hopes of proving his there s no chance of my marrying now he said with a sigh i ll remain plain george to the end of my days and a bachelor at that it s awful gasped who was white and haggard i never expected that my search for types would lead me into the neighborhood of a tragedy who could have killed her i can t say i wonder if her death has anything to do with your affairs looked up suddenly and with a stern flushed face train he said sharply whatever the next morning you do say nothing about what i told you last night yes but what you told me might lead to the discovery of the i don t care if it does said angrily and rising to his feet to his you are to keep my confidence oh i shan t say anything but do you think i think nothing but i am sure that my affairs have nothing to do with this death i came to see mrs and this morning i should have had the truth out of her but she is dead and so all my projects go to the four winds but i don t want them spoken of you can depend upon me said by the strong will of his friend but who could have i tell you i don t know cried george how you do harp on that subject it is the subject of the retorted train and a most 