HELEN.  Why—­ (Rises from chair in front of table R.)

DONOHUE (sternly).  Keep still, you. (To MRS. TRENT.) Are you sure?

TRENT (L. of MRS. TRENT).  Of course she’s sure.

DONOHUE.  Mr. Trent, you must stop these interruptions. (To MRS.
TRENT.) Will you please answer my question?

MRS. TRENT.  I never wrote a letter to Spencer Lee in my life. (She suddenly turns to HELEN.) How dare you say I sent you there?

HELEN.  You did!  You did! (In front of table.)

MRS. TRENT (down L.C.).  I don’t know what she’s told you, Inspector, but—­

DONOHUE.  Never mind what she told me.  I want to be very sure of this. 
You did not ask this girl to go to Spencer Lee’s rooms?

MRS. TRENT.  No.

DONOHUE (down R.).  He had no letters of yours?

MRS. TRENT (L.C.).  No.

DONOHUE.  Do you know whether this girl had written to him?

MRS. TRENT.  I don’t know anything about it.

WILLIAM (coming L. of MRS. TRENT.  CROSBY comes C.).  But Nell didn’t know Lee, and you did, Helen.

DONOHUE (still down R.).  How about that, Mrs. Trent?

MRS. TRENT.  I hadn’t seen Mr. Lee for two or three years.  He used to come here a good deal.  He wanted to marry me, but I didn’t like him.  And I certainly never wrote him letters of any sort.  That is all I can tell you.

DONOHUE.  Thank you very much.  That is all that I want to know.

WILLIAM (turning on his sister).  You’re lying to save yourself.  You’ve got to tell the truth.

TRENT.  She is telling you the truth.

WILLIAM.  She’s not.

CROSBY (after a pause, putting his hand on his son’s shoulder). 
I’m sorry, Billy.

(WILLIAM goes up to chesterfield C. and sits.  CROSBY looks coldly at HELEN and turns to his daughter.)

MRS. TRENT.  Father, you know that—­

CROSBY.  Yes, dear, I know.  Inspector, do you want us any more?

DONOHUE.  Not any more, thank you.

CROSBY.  Come then, children. (He exits with MR. and MRS. TRENT down L.)

(HELEN is still in front of the table R. As the door closes, DONOHUE crosses to L.C.)

DONOHUE.  Mike, take her down town.

ROSALIE (C.).  I would not if I was you.  Inspector, I do know who ’as done it.

(WILLIAM rises.)

DONOHUE (turning to ROSALIE C.).  You know!  Who was it?

ROSALIE.  I cannot tell you yet. (DONOHUE laughs.  WILLIAM goes to
HELEN.) But I will!  I will!

DONOHUE.  Telling’s not enough.  There’s just one thing that will convince me that she didn’t kill Spencer Lee.

WILLIAM (down E.).  What, Inspector, what?