doesn't sound
much put like that, sir, but I didn't care about the way he said it.
So I got in front of him like, and said, 'What do you want, eh?' and he
gave a sort of chuckle and said, 'I want to see my dear brother Mark.'
Well, then I took a closer look at him, and I see that p'raps he might
be his brother, so I said, 'If you'll follow the drive, sir, you'll come
to the house. Of course I can't say if Mr. Ablett's at home.' And he
gave a sort of nasty laugh again, and said, 'Fine place Mister Mark
Ablett's got here. Plenty of money to spend, eh?' Well, then I had
another look at him, sir, because gentlemen don't talk like that, and
if he was Mr. Ablett's brother--but before I could make up my mind, he
laughed and went on. That's all I can tell you, sir."

Andrew Amos stepped down and moved away to the back of the room, nor did
Antony take his eyes off him until he was assured that Amos intended to
remain there until the inquest was over.

"Who's Amos talking to now?" he whispered to Bill.

"Parsons. One of the gardeners. He's at the outside lodge on the Stanton
road. They're all here to-day. Sort of holiday for 'em.

"I wonder if he's giving evidence too," thought Antony. He was. He
followed Amos. He had been at work on the lawn in front of the house,
and had seen Robert Ablett arrive. He didn't hear the shot--not to
notice. He was a little hard of hearing. He had seen a gentleman arrive
about five minutes after Mr. Robert.

"Can you see him in court now?" asked the Coroner. Parsons looked round
slowly. Antony caught his eye and smiled.

"That's him," said Parsons, pointing.

Everybody looked at Antony.

"That was about five minutes afterwards?"

"About that, sir."

"Did anybody come out of the house before this gentleman's arrival?"

"No, sir. That is to say I didn't see 'em."

Stevens followed. She gave her evidence much as she had given it to the
Inspector. Nothing new was brought out by her examination. Then came
Elsie. As the reporters scribbled down what she had overheard, they
added in brackets "Sensation" for the first time that afternoon.

"How soon after you had heard this did the shot come?" asked the
Coroner.

"Almost at once, sir."

"A minute?"

"I couldn't really say, sir. It was so quick."

"Were you still in the hall?"

"Oh, no, sir. I was just outside Mrs. Stevens' room. The housekeeper,
sir."

"You didn't think of going back to the hall to see what had happened?"

"Oh, n