“How came she by the key, then?”

“That is one of the mysteries of the affair; this murder is by no means a simple one.  I begin to think we shall find it full of mysteries.”

“Batsy’s death, for instance?”

“O yes, Batsy!  I forgot that she was found dead too.”

“Without a wound, doctor.”

“She had heart disease.  I doctored her for it.  The fright has killed her.”

“The look of her face confirms that.”

“Let me see!  So it does; but we must have an autopsy to prove it.”

“I would like to explain before any further measures are taken, how I came to know that Agatha Webb had money in her house,” said Mr. Sutherland, as they stepped back into the other room.  “Two days ago, as I was sitting with my family at table, old gossip Judy came in.  Had Mrs. Sutherland been living, this old crone would not have presumed to intrude upon us at mealtime, but as we have no one now to uphold our dignity, this woman rushed into our presence panting with news, and told us all in one breath how she had just come from Mrs. Webb; that Mrs. Webb had money; that she had seen it, she herself; that, going into the house as usual without knocking, she had heard Agatha stepping overhead and had gone up; and finding the door of the sitting-room ajar, had looked in, and seen Agatha crossing the room with her hands full of bills; that these bills were big bills, for she heard Agatha cry, as she locked them up in the cupboard behind the book-shelves, ’A thousand dollars!  That is too much money to have in one’s house’; that she, Judy, thought so too, and being frightened at what she had seen, had crept away as silently as she had entered and run away to tell the neighbours.  Happily, I was the first she found up that morning, but I have no doubt that, in spite of my express injunctions, she has since related the news to half the people in town.”

“Was the young woman down yonder present when Judy told this story?” asked the coroner, pointing towards the yard.

Mr. Sutherland pondered.  “Possibly; I do not remember.  Frederick was seated at the table with me, and my housekeeper was pouring out the coffee, but it was early for Miss Page.  She has been putting on great airs of late.”

“Can it be possible he is trying to blind himself to the fact that his son Frederick wishes to marry this girl?” muttered the clergyman into the constable’s ear.

The constable shook his head.  Mr. Sutherland was one of those debonair men, whose very mildness makes them impenetrable.

V

A SPOT ON THE LAWN

The coroner, on leaving the house, was followed by Mr. Sutherland.  As the fine figures of the two men appeared on the doorstep, a faint cheer was heard from the two or three favoured persons who were allowed to look through the gate.  But to this token of welcome neither gentleman responded by so much as a look, all their attention being engrossed by the sight of the solitary figure of Miss Page, who still held her stand upon the lawn.  Motionless as a statue, but with her eyes fixed upon their faces, she awaited their approach.  When they were near her she thrust one hand from under her cloak, and pointing to the grass at her feet, said quietly: