"Miss Van Allen is one of your regular customers?"

"One of our best. Very often we serve her, and always she orders our
finest wares."

"You provide everything?"

"Everything. Candles, flowers, decorations--all"

"And she pays her bills?"

"Most promptly."

"By cheque?"

"Yes, sir."

"And there are no servants here but the maid Julie?"

"I have often seen others. But I fancy they do not live in the house.
Madame Julie superintends and directs us always. Miss Van Allen leaves
much to her. She is most capable."

"When did you see this woman, this Julie, last?"

"A short time before--before that happened." Luigi looked toward the
body. "She was in and out of the pantries all the evening. She
admitted the guests, she acted as ladies' maid, and she arranged the
favors in the pie. It was, I should say, ten minutes or so since she
was last in the pantry, when I peeped in at the door."