"Then I'll go away now," I said, "for I must find an abiding
place for myself in West Sedgwick. There is an inn, I suppose."

"They'll probably ask you to stay here," observed Coroner Monroe,
"but I advise you not to do so. I think you'll be freer and less
hampered in your work if you go to the inn."

"I quite agree with you," I replied. "But I see little chance of
being invited to stay here. Where is the family? Who are in
it?"

"Not many. There is Miss Florence Lloyd, a niece of Mr.
Crawford. That is, she is the niece of his wife. Mrs. Crawford
has been dead many years, and Miss Lloyd has kept house for her
uncle all that time. Then there is Mrs. Pierce, an elderly lady
and a distant relative of Mr. Crawford's. That is all, except
the secretary, Gregory Hall, who lives here much of the time.
That is, he has a room here, but often he is in New York or
elsewhere on Mr. Crawford's business."

"Mr. Crawford had an office both here and in New York?" I asked.

"Yes; and of late years he has stayed at home as much as
possible. He went to New York only about three or four days in
the week, and conducted his business from here the rest of the
time. Young Hall is a clever fellow, and has been Mr. Crawford's
righthand man for years."

"Where is he now?"