he candle and the fire had
both burned out, and it was pitch dark when I woke. I can't even say why
I woke--unless it was the coldness of the room.

"There was a spare candle on the chimney-piece. I found the matchbox,
and got a light. Then for the first time, I turned round toward the bed;
and I saw--"

She had seen the dead body of her husband, murdered while she was
unconsciously at his side--and she fainted, poor creature, at the bare
remembrance of it.

The proceedings were adjourned. She received every possible care
and attention; the chaplain looking after her welfare as well as the
surgeon.

I have said nothing of the evidence of the landlady and servants. It was
taken as a mere formality. What little they knew proved nothing against
Mrs. Zebedee. The police made no discoveries that supported her first
frantic accusation of herself. Her master and mistress, where she had
been last in service, spoke of her in the highest terms. We were at a
complete deadlock.

It had been thought best not to surprise Mr. Deluc, as yet, by citing
him as a witness. The action of the law was, however, hurried in this
case by a private communication received from the chaplain.

After twice seeing, and speaking with, Mrs. Zebedee, the reverend
gentleman was persuaded that she had no more to do than himself with
the murder of her husband. He did not consider that he was justified in
repeating a confidential communication--he would only recommend that Mr.
Deluc should be summoned to appear at the next examination. This advice
was followed.

The police had no evidence against Mrs. Zebedee when the inquiry
was resumed. To assist the ends of justice she was now put into the
witness-box. The discovery of her murdered husband, when she woke in the
small hours of the morning, was passed over as rapidly as possible. Only
three questions of importance were put to her.

First, the knife was produced. Had she ever seen it in her husband's
possession? Never. Did she know anything about it? Nothing whatever.

Secondly: Did she, or did her husband, lock the bedroom door when they
returned from the theater? No. Did she afterward lock the door herself?
No.

Thirdly: Had she any sort of reason to give for supposing that she had
murdered her husband in a sleep-walking dream? No reason, except that
she was beside herself at the time, and the book put the thought into
her head.

After this the other witnesses were sent out of court The moti