supposition? No one could have seen me here, for, till to-day
I have not entered the streets of this place since my visit to my aunt
three months ago."

"It was not necessary to enter the streets of this town to effect a
visit to Mrs. Clemmens' house, Mr. Mansell."

"No?"

There was the faintest hint of emotion in the intonation he gave to that
one word, but it vanished before he spoke his next sentence.

"And how," asked he, "can a person pass from Sibley Station to the door
of my aunt's house without going through the streets?"

Instead of replying, Mr. Ferris inquired:

"Did you get out at Sibley Station, Mr. Mansell?"

But the other, with unmoved self-possession, returned:

"I have not said so."

"Mr. Mansell," the District Attorney now observed, "we have no motive in
deceiving or even in misleading you. You were in this town on the
morning of your aunt's murder, and you were even in her house. Evidence
which you cannot dispute proves this, and the question that now arises,
and of whose importance we leave you to judge, is whether you were there
prior to the visit of Mr. Hildreth, or after. Any proof you may have to
show that it was before will receive its due consideration."

A change, decided as it was involuntary, took place in the hitherto
undisturbed countenance of Craik Mansell. Leaning forward, he surveyed
Mr. Ferris with great earnestness.

"I asked that man," said he, pointing with a steady forefinger at the
somewhat abashed detective, "if I were not wanted here simply as a
witness, and he did not say No. Now, sir," he continued, turning back
with a slight gesture of disdain to the District Attorney, "was the man
right in allowing me to believe such a fact, or was he not? I would like
an answer to my question before I proceed further, if you please."

"You shall have it, Mr. Mansell. If this man did not answer you, it was
probably because he did not feel justified in so doing. He knew I had
summoned you here in the hope of receiving such explanations of your
late conduct as should satisfy me you had nothing to do with your aunt's
murder. The claims upon my consideration, which are held by certain
persons allied to you in this matter"--Mr. Ferris' look was eloquent of
his real meaning here--"are my sole justification for this somewhat
unusual method of dealing with a suspected man."

A smile, bitter, oh, how bitter in its irony! traversed the firm-set
lips of Craik Mansell for a moment, then h