“He took a bunch of keys from his pocket, and with one of them opened a safe or iron closet on the wall near the chimney, and from that vault he brought a square black tin box to the table, where he opened it.  He took out a leather bag, and counted into my hand five gold pieces of twenty dollars each.  The money was given so ungraciously that I told him I would not accept it, save as a loan for mother’s benefit; and that as soon as I could earn it I would return the amount to him.  I was so anxious to get away, I started toward the library door, but he called me back, and gave me the morocco case which contains the sapphires.  He said my mother’s mother had bought them as a gift for her daughter, to be worn when she was graduated at school; but as she married and left school without his knowledge, the jewels had never been seen by her.  He told me he had intended to give them to his son Prince, for his bride, but that now he would send them to mother, who could sell them for a handsome sum, because they were valuable.  He showed so much sorrow at this time, that I begged him to give me some message of pardon and affection, which she would prize infinitely more than money or jewels; but he again became angry and bitter, and so I left him.  I came away by the door leading out on the iron veranda, because he directed me to do so, saying that he did not wish me to meet the servants, who would pry and tattle.  When I closed the glass door I saw him standing in the middle of the room, leaning on his cane, and he had the black tin box in his hand.  The sun was setting then, and now—­”

She ceased speaking for some seconds, then raised her hands toward heaven, and with uplifted eyes that seemed in their strained gaze to pierce beyond the veil, she added with solemn emphasis: 

“I call God to witness, that was the last and only time I ever saw General Darrington.  That was the last and only visit I ever made to Elm Bluff.”

There was a general movement among the spectators, and audible excitement, which was promptly quelled by the magistrate.

“Silence there in front, or I shall order the room cleared.”

Turning toward Beryl, he said: 

“If you left Elm Bluff at sunset, why did you not take the 7:15 train?”

“I tried to do so, but missed it because I desired to obey my mother’s injunctions as strictly as possible.  She gave me a small bunch of flowers, and asked me to be sure to lay them for her on her mother’s grave.  When I reached the cemetery, which you know is in sight of the road from Elm Bluff, the gate was locked, and it required some time to enable me to climb over the wall and find the monument.  It was growing dark, and when I arrived at the station, I learned the train had just gone.”

“Why did you not go to a hotel, as you were advised to do?”

“Because after sending the telegram to my mother, I had no money to pay for lodging; and I asked permission to stay in the ladies’ waiting-room.”