“No, it wasn’t,” said Nick.  “It was committed in room A.”

CHAPTER X.

The true story of Mrs. John Jones.

Jones fell back into his chair.  The woman bit her lip till the blood spurted out.

Then suddenly the color left her face.  She sat up, staring straight before her, and she did not move during the explanation which Nick gave.

While he was speaking, the detective watched her narrowly.  Certainly she was meditating some remarkable action.  He wondered what it could be.

“Yes,” said Nick, turning to the superintendent, “we have at last straightened out the matter of those two rooms and their occupants.

“As to the spot where the crime was committed, I have not been in doubt from the first.

“You will remember that the fatal wound was visible on both the woman’s temples.  The bullet passed entirely through her head.

“But where was the bullet?  That was the question which I asked myself at once.

“I could not find it in room B, where the body lay.  Then I tried room A, with no better success.

“At this point Chick took up the hunt, and carried it to the end.  The bullet was in neither room.  It was just between them.

“You remember that there was a door which I found fastened upon both sides.

“Chick opened that door, and in its framework, the wood of which was old and soft, he found the bullet.

“The mark was covered when the door was shut.  Therefore the door must have been open when the shot was fired.

“The position of the bullet shows that the shot was fired from room A. Then the woman, for some reason, had got into that room.  She had unlocked the door on her side and had managed to induce the persons on the other side to slip their bolt.

“Now, why did she do this?  Of course there is only one answer.  Jealousy was her motive.  The man in room A was her husband.

“I have satisfied myself of that.  She must have known that he was going to dine in that house with another woman.

“It is clear that she made the acquaintance of Hammond because she was determined to get into that restaurant, and women are not admitted alone.

“The dropping of the purse was, of course, a very simple trick.  She had noticed Hammond behind her, and as he was evidently a gentleman, she decided to use him for her purpose.

“You have heard how she led him to the restaurant.  Of course it was only by chance that they got the room next to that in which her husband was.

“Hammond has told how she listened to the voices, and how she got rid of him.

“What followed can be easily understood.  She got into room A. She drew her pistol and attempted to shoot either her faithless husband or his companion.

“Jones disarmed her and shot her with her own pistol.