“She was not.  Mrs. Langmore was a—­a vixin, always afther findin’ fault, an’ Oi wasn’t on good terms wid her meself.”

“Ah!  Then you quarreled also?”

“Oh, no, sur, Oi knew me place, so Oi did, an’ did me wurruk an’ said nothin’.  If it hadn’t been fer Miss Margaret Oi’d a lift me job long ago.  But she was such a noice girrul, an’ so lonely loike, in the house wid that tongue-lasher—­”

“Wait! wait!  You say Miss Margaret and Mrs. Langmore quarreled.  When did they quarrel last?”

At this question the domestic pursed up her lips and looked at Margaret.

“Oi have nothin’ to say about that,” she answered coldly.

This reply was a surprise to all, including Raymond.  The coroner gazed at the witness sternly.

“You must answer,” he said.  “It is my duty to get at the bottom of this awful affair.”

“Oi’ll not answer,” was the stubborn return.

CHAPTER XII

FOR AND AGAINST

There was a moment of intense silence throughout the courtroom.  Every eye was turned on Mary Billings, who pursed up her lips more closely than ever.

“You’ll not answer?” thundered Coroner Busby.

“Mr. Coroner,” began Raymond, rising, “is it legally necessary that she answer?  Remember, she is here without proper legal council.”

“Silence!  I—­ahem—­yes, she must answer, or I shall have to commit her, as a witness if for nothing else.  Girl, are you going to answer or not?”

“Sure, an’ Oi—­”

“Chief, will you call a policeman?” went on the coroner, turning to the chief of police.

He was a fairly good judge of human character.  At the sight of the bluecoat the domestic wilted and began to sob.

“Ohone!  Ohone! don’t take me to prison!” she wailed.

“You prefer to answer?”

“Yis, if Oi must.  But Oi think Miss Margaret the swatest little lady—­”

“Never mind that.  When did the girl and her stepmother quarrel last?  Come now, tell me the plain truth,” and the coroner put as much of sternness as possible in his voice.

“Well, thin, if yez has got to know, it was on the marnin’ av the murders, sur,” sniffled the servant girl.

“When was this?”

“Right afther breakfast.  They had some words at the table, too.”

“What was said?  Repeat the exact words if you can,” and the coroner leaned forward expectantly, while many in the courtroom held their breath.

“Mrs. Langmore said she wished Miss Margaret was off the face of the earth, an’ that she’d be afther seein’ that the dear girrul wasn’t in the house much longer.  ‘Twas a very bitter scene, an’ me heart wint out to the dear girrul—­”

“And what did Miss Margaret reply to that?”

“She said it was her father’s house, an’ she would stay as long as her father wished her to.  An’ it was her father’s house, too.”