ringing, going straight to the library. Nobody saw me come: nobody
saw me return, except one old lady on the road, who seemed to have
forgotten all about it by the time of the inquest."

(I nodded and gave a start. I knew that must have been Aunt Emma.)

"Except yourself, Una, no human soul on earth ever seemed to suspect
me. And that wasn't odd; for you and your father, and perhaps Minnie
Moore, were the only people in the world who ever knew I was in love
with you or cared for you in any way."

"Go on," I said, breathless. "And you went into the library."

"I went into the library," Jack continued, "where I found your
father, just returned from enjoying his cigar on the lawn. He was
alone in the room--"

"No, no!" I cried eagerly, putting in my share now; for I had a part
in the history. "He WASN'T alone, Jack, though you thought him so at
the time. I remember all, at last. It comes back to me like a flash.
Oh, heavens, how it comes back to me! Jack, Jack, I remember to-day
every word, every syllable of it!"

He gazed at me in surprise.

"Then tell me yourself, Una!" he exclaimed. "How did you come to be
there? For I knew you were there at last; but till you fired the
pistol, I hadn't the faintest idea you had heard or seen anything.
Tell me all about it, quick! There comes in MY mystery."