s there been anything in his correspondence of late calculated to
throw any light upon this deed?"

It actually seemed as if he never would answer. Was he simply pondering
over his reply, or was the man turned to stone?

"Mr. Harwell, did you hear the juryman?" inquired the coroner.

"Yes, sir; I was thinking."

"Very well, now answer."

"Sir," he replied, turning and looking the juryman full in the face, and
in that way revealing his unguarded left hand to my gaze, "I have opened
Mr. Leavenworth's letters as usual for the last two weeks, and I can
think of nothing in them bearing in the least upon this tragedy."

The man lied; I knew it instantly. The clenched hand pausing irresolute,
then making up its mind to go through with the lie firmly, was enough
for me.

"Mr. Harwell, this is undoubtedly true according to your judgment,"
said the coroner; "but Mr. Leavenworth's correspondence will have to be
searched for all that."

"Of course," he replied carelessly; "that is only right."

This remark ended Mr. Harwell's examination for the time. As he sat down
I made note of four things.

That Mr. Harwell himself, for some reason not given, was conscious of a
suspicion which he was anxious to suppress even from his own mind.

That a woman was in some way connected with it, a rustle as well as a
footstep having been heard by him on the stairs.

That a letter had arrived at the house, which if found would be likely
to throw some light upon this subject.

That Eleanore Leavenworth's name came with difficulty from his lips;
this evidently unimpressible man, manifesting more or less emotion
whenever he was called upon to utter it.

IV. A CUTS

"Something is rotten in the State of Denmark."
Hamlet.

THE cook of the establishment being now called, that portly, ruddy-faced
individual stepped forward with alacrity, displaying upon her
good-humored countenance such an expression of mingled eagerness and
anxiety that more than one person present found it difficult to restrain
a smile at her appearance. Observing this and taking it as a compliment,
being a woman as well as a cook, she immediately dropped a curtsey,
and opening her lips was about to speak, when the coroner, rising
impatiently in his seat, took the word from her mouth by saying sternly:

"Your name?"

"Katherine Malone, sir."

"Well, Katherine, how long have you been in Mr. Leavenworth's service?"

"Shure, it is a good twelvemont