f the burdens laid upon it, and
of the deed of which the history was now shaping itself with more and
more of substance before his busy mind.

He went first to the tall French window in the middle of the wall that
faced the door, and opening it, stepped out upon a small balcony with
an iron railing. He looked down on a broad stretch of lawn that began
immediately beneath him, separated from the house-wall only by a narrow
flower-bed, and stretched away, with an abrupt dip at the farther
end, toward the orchard. The other window opened with a sash above the
garden-entrance of the library. In the farther inside corner of the room
was a second door giving upon the passage; the door by which the maid
was wont to come in, and her mistress to go out, in the morning.

Trent, seated on the bed, quickly sketched in his notebook a plan of
the room and its neighbour. The bed stood in the angle between the
communicating-door and the sash-window, its head against the wall
dividing the room from Manderson's. Trent stared at the pillows; then he
lay down with deliberation on the bed and looked through the open door
into the adjoining room.

This observation taken, he rose again and proceeded to note on his plan
that on either side of the bed was a small table with a cover. Upon that
furthest from the door was a graceful electric-lamp standard of copper
connected by a free wire with the wall. Trent looked at it thoughtfully,
then at the switches connected with the other lights in the room. They
were, as usual, on the wall just within the door, and some way out of
his reach as he sat on the bed. He rose, and satisfied himself that the
lights were all in order. Then he turned on his heel, walked quickly
into Manderson's room, and rang the bell.

'I want your help again, Martin,' he said, as the butler presented
himself, upright and impassive, in the doorway. 'I want you to prevail
upon Mrs Manderson's maid to grant me an interview.'

'Certainly, sir,' said Martin.

'What sort of a woman is she? Has she her wits about her?'

'She's French, sir,' replied Martin succinctly; adding after a pause:
'She has not been with us long, sir, but I have formed the impression
that the young woman knows as much of the world as is good for
her--since you ask me.'

'You think butter might possibly melt in her mouth, do you?' said Trent.
'Well, I am not afraid. I want to put some questions to her.'

'I will send her up immediately, sir.' The butl