others."

"And this idea was not affected by what you saw afterwards?"

"Not in the least--rather strengthened. Of the few words I overheard,
one was uttered in reference to yourself by Miss Knollys. She said: 'I
have locked Miss Butterworth again into her room. If she accuses me of
having done so, I shall tell her our whole story. Better she should know
the family's disgrace than imagine us guilty of crimes of which we are
utterly incapable.'"

"So! so!" I cried, "you heard that?"

"Yes, madam, I heard that, and I do not think she knew she was dropping
that word into the ear of a detective, but on this point you are, of
course, at liberty to differ with me."

"I am not yet ready to avail myself of the privilege," I retorted. "What
else did these girls let fall in your hearing?"

"Not much. It was Hannah who led me into the upper hall, and Hannah who
by signs and signals rather than words showed me what was expected of
me. However, when, after the box was lowered into the cellar, Hannah was
drawing me away, Lucetta stepped up and whispered in her ear: 'Don't
give her the biggest coin. Give her the little one, or she may mistake
our reasons for secrecy. I wouldn't like even a fool to do that even for
the moment it would remain lodged in Mother Jane's mind.'"

"Well, well," I again cried, certainly puzzled, for these stray
expressions of the sisters were in a measure contradictory not only of
the suspicions I entertained, but of the facts which had seemingly come
to my attention.

Mr. Gryce, who was probably watching my face more closely than he did
the cane with whose movements he was apparently engrossed, stopped to
give a caressing rub to the knob of that same cane before remarking:

"One such peep behind the scenes is worth any amount of surmise expended
on the wrong side of the curtain. I let you share my knowledge because
it is your due. Now if you feel willing to explain what you mean by a
knot of crape on the shutter, I am at your service, madam."

I felt that it would be cruel to delay my story longer, and so I began
it. It was evidently more interesting than he expected, and as I dilated
upon the special features which had led me to believe that it was a
thinking, suffering mortal like ourselves who had been shut up in
William's room and afterwards buried in the cellar under the Flower
Parlor, I saw his face lengthen and doubt take the place of the quiet
assurance with which he had received my various