I was surprised that no one else seemed to notice this, but the
attention of every one in the room was concentrated on the
coroner and the witness, and so Louis's behavior passed
unnoticed.

At this juncture, Mr. Lemuel Porter spoke with some dignity.

"It would seem," he said, "that this concludes Miss Lloyd's
evidence in the matter. She has carried the narrative up to the
point where Mr. Joseph Crawford went out of his house after
dinner. As she herself retired to her room before his return,
and did not again leave her room until this morning, she can have
nothing further to tell us bearing on the tragedy. And as it is
doubtless a most painful experience for her, I trust, Mr.
Coroner, that you will excuse her from further questioning."

"But wait a minute," Parmalee began, when Mr Hamilton interrupted
him--"Mr. Porter is quite right," he said; "there is no reason
why Miss Lloyd should be further troubled in this matter. I feel
free to advise her dismissal from the witness stand, because of
my acquaintance and friendship with this household. Our coroner
and most of our jurors are strangers to Miss Lloyd, and perhaps
cannot appreciate as I do the terrible strain this experience
means to her."

"You're right Hamilton," said Mr. Philip Crawford; "I was remiss
not to think of it myself. Mr. Monroe, this is not a formal
inquest, and in the interest of kindness and humanity, I ask you
to excuse Miss Lloyd from further questioning for the present."