MRS. CROSBY.  And I was here between Mr. Standish and Billy.

(She sits. DONOHUE moves off a step down R. and stands looking at them as they sit. ROSALIE moves over and takes her place in armchair.)

DONOHUE.  You are all sure that’s where you were sitting?

MISS EASTWOOD.  There’s some mix up here, I know. (ROSALIE rises.)
I wasn’t next to Mr. Wales.

HELEN (rises).  Of course you weren’t.  I don’t see what I could have been thinking of. I sat where Miss Eastwood is.

MISS EASTWOOD.  Yes, and I was next to Mr. Trent, between Philip and Mr.
Trent.  I felt sure I was in the wrong seat. (Rises.)

DONOHUE (quite casually).  Then perhaps you ladies will exchange places.

(ROSALIE gives a little sigh of relief when she sees that DONOHUE attaches no importance to the substitution she has made, and sits down again. HELEN and Miss EASTWOOD, change seats. HELEN crosses outside of circle.)

Now we’re all right, aren’t we? (Slight buzz of conversation.) You are quite sure that you are all in the places you occupied during the seance?

CROSBY.  Yes.  I think so.

DONOHUE (puts his hand on the empty chair).  We’ll pretend that Mr. Wales is still sitting here. (Slight movement from all.) Now, Mr. Crosby, I’ll ask you to tell me what happened after the seance began.  But first I’ll ask you this question, was there any special arrangement about the seats?

ROSALIE (hurriedly rising).  There was not, sir.  I told them that they could sit anywhere they did wish.  Young Mr. Crosby must ’ave sat by the light on purpose.  And I am so sorry I did make the mistake about the young ladies.  I do not know ’ow I came to make a mistake like that.

DONOHUE.  Oh, well, if they couldn’t remember where they sat, I don’t see how I can expect you to be entirely accurate. (ROSALIE sits in arm-chair up C.) However, we’re all right now.  Now, Mr. Crosby.

CROSBY.  Well, after Madame la Grange had shown how she broke out of—­

DONOHUE.  We’ll start with the seance. (All look at DONOHUE.) I know how mediums break the circle and all that.  And you needn’t describe how she went into that trance of hers.

MASON.  Inspector, I don’t think you’re fair to this woman.  I think there’s something pretty important that you haven’t been told.

(All look at MASON.)

DONOHUE.  Then you’d better tell me now.

MASON.  In order that there should be no deception, we had Madame la
Grange searched.

DONOHUE.  I see.

MASON.  And while she was out of the room—­

DONOHUE.  Oh, she left the room?

(All look at DONOHUE.)

MASON.  Yes, and all of the ladies went with her.  Then someone suggested that we ask Madame la Grange about some special thing, and Mr. Wales said he was going to ask her to get in communication with Spencer Lee and see if we couldn’t find out who killed him—­