Meanwhile, young Scott, having answered a few preliminary
interrogatories, turned slowly, facing Mrs. LaGrange, who was
watching him with an intensity of manner and expression as though she
would compel him to meet her gaze.

As his glance met hers, a look of inquiry flashed from her eyes to
his, accompanied by an expression persuasive, almost appealing. But
the only reply was an ominous flash from the dark eyes, as, with a
gesture of proud disdain, he folded his arms and again faced his
interlocutor, while, with eyes gleaming with revenge from under
their heavily drooping lids and lips that curled from time to time
in a smile of bitter malignity, she watched him, listening eagerly
for his testimony, losing no word that he said.

The young secretary well understood the character of the enemy with
whom he had thus declared war, though he was as yet in ignorance of
the weapons she would use against him, but the honeyed words of the
little note crushed within his pocket had no power to swerve him for
an instant from the course upon which he had determined.

After a few general questions, the coroner said,

"Please state when and what was the first intimation received by you
of any unusual occurrence."

"I was awakened this morning by a woman's scream and heard sounds of
confused running in different directions. A few moments later Mr.
Whitney came to my room and informed me of what had occurred, and I
then went with him to the private rooms of Mr. Mainwaring."