thus
finished the story of his relations with the dead heiress, seemed to
be more than Mr. Challoner could stand. With a look of extreme pain and
perplexity he vanished from the doorway, and it fell to Dr. Heath to
inquire:

"Is this letter--a letter of threat you will remember--the only
communication which passed between you and Miss Challoner after this
unfortunate passage of arms at the Clermont?"

"Yes. I had no wish to address her again. I had exhausted in this one
outburst whatever humiliation I felt."

"And she? Did she give no sign, make you no answer?"

"None whatever." Then, as if he found it impossible to hide this hurt to
his pride, "She did not even seem to consider me worthy the honour of an
added rebuke. Such arrogance is, no doubt, commendable in a Challoner."

This time his bitterness did not pass unrebuked by the coroner:

"Remember the grey hairs of the only Challoner who can hear you, and
respect his grief."

Mr. Brotherson bowed.

"I have finished," said he. "I shall have nothing more to say on the
subject." And he drew himself up in expectation of the dismissal he
evidently thought pending.

But the coroner was not done with him by any means. He had a theory in
regard to this lamentable suicide which he hoped to establish by this
man's testimony, and, in pursuit of this plan, he not only motioned to
Mr. Brotherson to reseat himself, but began at once to open a fresh line
of examination by saying:

"You will pardon me, if I press this matter. I have been given to
understand that notwithstanding your break with Miss Challoner, you have
kept up your visits to the Clermont and were even on the spot at the
time of her death."

"On the spot?"

"In the hotel, I mean."

"There you are right; I was in the hotel."

"At the time of her death?"

"Very near the time. I remember hearing some disturbance in the lobby
behind me, just as I was passing out at the Broadway entrance."

"You did, and did not return?"

"Why should I return? I am not a man of much curiosity. There was no
reason why I should connect a sudden alarm in the lobby of the Clermont
with any cause of special interest to myself."

This was so true and the look which accompanied the words was so frank
that the coroner hesitated a moment before he said:

"Certainly not, unless--well, to be direct, unless you had just seen
Miss Challoner and knew her state of mind and what was likely to follow
your abrupt departure."

"I