neighbourhood of that door for intervals
of five or six minutes--it was therefore possible that the murderer had
slipped in and slipped out without attracting attention.

This admission produced the first element of distinct sensation which
had so far materialized. As almost every person present was already
fairly well acquainted with the details of what had transpired on the
evening of the murder--Peppermore having published every scrap of
information he could rake up, in successive editions of his
_Monitor_--the constable's belated revelation came as a surprise.
Hawthwaite turned on the witness with an irate, astonished look; the
Coroner glanced at Hawthwaite as if he were puzzled; then looked down at
certain memoranda lying before him. He turned from this to the witness,
a somewhat raw, youthful policeman.

"I understood that you were never away from that door between six and
eight o'clock on the evening in question?" he said. "Now you admit that
you were twice away from it?"

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry, sir, I clean forgot that when--when the
superintendent asked me at first. I--I was a bit flustered like."

"Now let us get a clear statement about this," said the Coroner, after a
pause. "We know quite well from the plans, and from our own knowledge,
that anyone could get up to the Mayor's Parlour through the police
office in the basement at the rear of the Moot Hall. What time did you
go on duty at the door that opens into the office, from St. Laurence
Lane?"

"Six o'clock, sir."

"And you were about the door--at a desk there, eh?--until when?"

"Till after eight, sir."

"But you say you were absent for a short time, twice?"

"Yes, sir, I remember now that I was."

"What were the times of those two absences?"

"Well, sir, about ten minutes to seven I went along to the charge office
for a few minutes--five or six minutes. Then at about a quarter to eight
I went downstairs into the cellar to get some paraffin for a lamp--I
might be away as long, then, sir."

"And, of course, during your absence anybody could have left or
entered--unnoticed?"

"Well, they could, sir, but I don't think anybody did."

"Why, now?"

"Because, sir, the door opening into St. Laurence Lane is a very heavy
one, and I never heard it either open or close. The latch is a heavy
one, too, sir, and uncommon stiff."

"Still, anybody might," observed the Coroner. "Now, what is the length
of the passage between that door, the door at th