al inquest," he told us. "The real inquest can't
be held until there is a body to hold it over. I'm doing this in
co-operation with the sheriff. And of course I needn't tell you that all
of you are held here, with orders not to leave the immediate grounds,
until a formal inquest can be held."

"But what if you never find the body?" Marten asked. "Some of us--can't
stay forever."

"The law takes heed of no man's business," the coroner answered,
somewhat sternly. "However, I'll have counsel from the state in a few
days, and then we can tell what to do. The district attorney will be
here just as soon as his work will permit."

He called Nealman first. Except for a strange and startling deepening of
the worry-line between his brows I would have thought that he was wholly
unshaken. Weldon asked his name, place of birth, thirdly his occupation.

"I can't hardly say--I'm interested in finance," Nealman said in reply
to the third question.

"And how long have you occupied this house?"

"Less than a month. I bought it last winter, but it has been under the
charge of--of a caretaker until that time."

"Who was the caretaker?"

Nealman's voice fell a note. "Florey--the man murdered last night."

"Ah." The coroner paused an instant, as if deep in thought. "And how did
he happen to come into your employ?"

"He was employed at this house by its previous owner, just a few days or
weeks before I purchased it. He asked for work here when I came to take
possession. He was an experienced butler, he said."

"Then that's all you know about the dead man?"

"Absolutely all."

"His full name?"

"I made out his check to David Florey. I assumed he was an Englishman."

"You didn't know that, for sure?"

"No." Nealman hesitated, as if secretly startled. "I really didn't know
it, when I come to think about it. I always assumed that he was."

"He was a good servant?"

"Excellent. I can go further. The best, most conscientious butler I ever
had."

"Did you ever get the idea he had any enemies?"

"No. He seemed the most peaceable of men."

"None of the other servants were jealous of him?"

"On the contrary, they seemed to like him very much."

"He stayed close to his work?"

"He scarcely ever went to town. Once or twice he asked me for permission
to go with my chauffeur--for a hair cut, and so on."

"What did you observe about his health? Did it seem to be good?"

"It seemed so. Very good."

The coroner's interest qu