one stray word or phrase to make you realize that it _was_ a
private conversation?"

She paused, and seemed to reflect, still outwardly as calm as
ever.

"Yes; I remember. Mrs. Inglethorp said something--I do not
remember exactly what--about causing scandal between husband and
wife."

"Ah!" the Coroner leant back satisfied. "That corresponds with
what Dorcas heard. But excuse me, Mrs. Cavendish, although you
realized it was a private conversation, you did not move away?
You remained where you were?"

I caught the momentary gleam of her tawny eyes as she raised
them. I felt certain that at that moment she would willingly
have torn the little lawyer, with his insinuations, into pieces,
but she replied quietly enough:

"No. I was very comfortable where I was. I fixed my mind on my
book."

"And that is all you can tell us?"

"That is all."

The examination was over, though I doubted if the Coroner was
entirely satisfied with it. I think he suspected that Mary
Cavendish could tell more if she chose.