hought of the maid and went back to the kitchen to tell her she might
go to bed. But she had already gone. There were a few things I had to do
in the kitchen and I remained there until I had finished them. Then I
came back here."

"Well?"

"They were still talking in the sitting-room--rather loudly, I thought."

"Did you hear any sound like a struggle?"

The maid stood with her rather thin lips pressed tightly together for a
moment; then she said, reluctantly:

"Yes."

"Anything more?" Dr. Shower's fingers were now twisted in the trimmed
beard, eagerly.

"Miss Burton cried out. Then there was a sudden jar that made everything
shake."

"Like some one falling?"

"Yes," replied the nurse, with lowered head.

"Ah!" This was a low, long-drawn exclamation and came from Osborne; and
it was followed by a deep silence during which the rapid ticking of a
small clock upon a writing table seemed to suddenly swell into an
overwhelming volume of sound.

It was the sick girl who spoke first. She threw out her frail, white
hands in a gesture of protection toward her brother.

"Frank!" she cried. "Do you hear?"

The young man, ashen of face, and with eyes wide open, had been staring
at the nurse. But at the sound of his sister's voice he roused himself,
and said hurriedly:

"All right, Mary. All right, my dear!" Then to the assistant coroner he
added: "Very likely what Miss Wheeler says is true. There was a
struggle, though not much of a one, and perhaps my sister was frightened
and did cry out."

"But what of the sudden jar--'as though some one had fallen'?" asked
Osborne.

"It must have been when my father struck the wall as I pushed him
aside," said the young man as he passed one hand across his face. "That
is the only way I can account for it."

"What more was there, Miss Wheeler?"

"A few moments later, Mr. Burton took his sister up-stairs to her room.
I expected to be called, but was not. In a little while Mr. Burton came
down once more and I heard him go into the sitting-room. There was a
pause after this; then he called my name. I went out at once. He was
standing in the hall, with the sitting-room door partly closed, and his
hand upon the knob. It was then he told me what had happened--that some
one had struck down his father, and that he was afraid he was dead, and
that I must call in the police."

"You did not see the body?"

"Yes, sir; as I said, the sitting-room door was partly open. I saw the
b