morning?"

"About that time."

"At what hour was Mr. Mainwaring last seen by any one in this
house?" asked the coroner.

"As nearly as we have ascertained thus far, at about twelve o'clock."

"Twelve? Indeed! By whom? and where?"

"By his private secretary, and in the library adjoining."

"Very well," said the coroner, after a pause, during which he had
made a memorandum of certain details which he considered of special
importance; "the undertaker can now be summoned as I believe he is
waiting below, and we seem to have ascertained all the facts possible
in this direction; and, Mr. Whitney, I will next see the valet, whom
you say was the one to discover the situation this morning."

In the slight confusion and delay which ensued, Mr. Elliott and Mr.
Chittenden took their departure, with the usual expressions of
condolence and regret, followed a few moments later by Dr. Hobart,
who was accompanied downstairs by young Mainwaring.

Meanwhile, Mr. Merrick, having made a close scrutiny of the lifeless
form, had been slowly walking back and forth in the tower-room and
library, his hands in the pockets of his short sacque coat and his
eyes apparently riveted on the floor. Several times in the library
he paused and, bending downward, seemed to be intently studying the