Forewarned as I had been of the fact, I could not but feel a certain
degree of emotion at having it thus brought before me; and, moving so
as to bring the butler's face within view, searched it for some secret
token that he had spoken thus emphatically in order to cover up some
failure of duty on his own part. But it was unmoved in its candor, and
sustained the concentrated gaze of all in the room like a rock.

Being now asked when he had last seen Mr. Leavenworth alive, he
replied, "At dinner last night."

"He was, however, seen later by some of you?"

"Yes, sir; Mr. Harwell says he saw him as late as half-past ten in
the evening."

"What room do you occupy in this house?"

"A little one on the basement floor."

"And where do the other members of the household sleep?"

"Mostly on the third floor, sir; the ladies in the large back
rooms, and Mr. Harwell in the little one in front. The girls sleep
above."

"There was no one on the same floor with Mr. Leavenworth?"

"No, sir."

"At what hour did you go to bed?"