love you. You'd kept her son out of what she felt was his
birthright."

He got up and opened a table drawer.

"I've got a copy of the coroner's inquest here. It will bear going over.
And it may help you to remember, too. We needn't read it all. There's a
lot that isn't pertinent."

He got out a long envelope, and took from it a number of typed pages,
backed with a base of heavy paper.

"'Inquest in the Coroner's office on the body of Howard Lucas,'" he
read. "'October 10th, 1911.' That was the second day after. 'Examination
of witnesses by Coroner Samuel J. Burkhardt. Mrs. Lucas called and
sworn.'" He glanced at Dick and hesitated. "I don't know about this
to-night, Livingstone. You look pretty well shot to pieces."

"I didn't sleep last night. I'm all right. Go on."

During the reading that followed he sat back in his deep chair, his
eyes closed. Except that once or twice he clenched his hands he made no
movement whatever.

Q. "What is your name?"

A. "Anne Elizabeth Lucas. My stage name is Beverly Carlysle."

Q. "Where do you live, Mrs. Lucas?"

A. "At 26 East 56th Street, New York City."

Q. "I shall have to ask you some questions that are necessarily painful
at this time. I shall be as brief as possible. Perhaps it will be
easier for you to tell so much as you know of what happened the night
before last at the Clark ranch."

A. "I cannot tell very much. I am confused, too. I was given a sleeping
powder last night. I can only say that I heard a shot, and thought at
first that it was fired from outside. I ran down the stairs, and back to
the billiard room. As I entered the room Mr. Donaldson came in through
a window. My husband was lying on the floor. That is all."

Q. "Where was Judson Clark?"

A. "He was leaning on the roulette table, staring at the--at my husband."

Q. "Did you see him leave the room?"

A. "No. I was on my knees beside Mr. Lucas. I think when I got up he
was gone. I didn't notice."

Q. "Did you see a revolver?"

A. "No. I didn't look for one."

Q. "Now I shall ask you one more question, and that is all. Had there
been any quarrel between Mr. Lucas and Mr. Clark that evening in your
presence?"

A. "No. But I had quarreled with them both. They were drinking too
much. I had gone to my room to pack and go home. I was packing when I
heard the shot."

Witness excused and Mr. John Donaldson called.

Q. "What is your name?"

A. "John Donaldson."

Q. "Where d