weaken, and wound up his sentences in a floundering uncertainty.

He seemed to be in no way jealous of my presence there, and
indeed spoke to me with an air of comradeship.

Doubtless I was unreasonable, but I secretly resented this.
However I did not show my resentment and endeavored to treat Mr.
Parmalee as a friend and co-worker.

The coroner had left us together, and we stood in the
drawing-room, talking, or rather he talked and I listened. Upon
acquaintance he seemed to grow more attractive. He was impulsive
and jumped at conclusions, but he seemed to have ideas, though
they were rarely definitely expressed.

He told me as much as he knew of the details of the affair and
proposed that we go directly to the scene of the crime.

As this was what I was impatient to do, I consented.

"You see, it's this way," he said, in a confidential whisper, as
we traversed the long hall: "there is no doubt in any one's mind
as to who committed the murder, but no name has been mentioned
yet, and nobody wants to be the first to say that name. It'll
come out at the inquest, of course, and then--"

"But," I interrupted, "if the identity of the murderer is so
certain, why did they send for me in such haste?"

"Oh, that was the coroner's doing. He's a bit inclined to the