That Mainwaring Affair

developed on the preceding day. The members of the household occupied nearly the same positions as on the preceding afternoon, with

all the facts in the case became known, he was as impassive as ever. Even Mr. Whitney was wholly at a loss to account for the change in the bearing

, commanding a good view of both gentlemen, as well as of nearly every face in the room, sat Mr. Mer

ive or ten minutes his testimony was little more than a corroboration of that given

Whitney's request you remained in the uppe

s,

tween the alarm given by Hardy and the appearance of the en

d around there immediately, and I should say that every one, including the ladies, was out wit

e did the la

o'clock, sir, when she came to the library

her

ter LaGrange at all du

. Westlake, rather quickly.

. I did not see hi

last see Mr.

night, sir. I was in the hall as he passed upstairs to his r

any coldness or unplea

oth appeared the

air Oaks Wednesday aside fro

, s

ere here, stating when they called and

ble haste. He stayed about an hour. The gentleman who called about four in the afternoon also came in a carriage and inquired for Mr. Mainwaring, saying he had been directed to Fair Oaks at the city offices of Mainwaring & Co. On learning

oned considerable comment

s,

at it had any effec

ably annoyed, and after luncheon he asked

bson when he call

him at the door and directed h

LaGrange'

cordance with he

y reason for suc

ad caused so much remark she w

hen he called t

, s

e the person who

only see the outlines of his form. I should say he was abo

at what hou

, s

and Brown, the coachman, took his place. The latter was far less taciturn than the butler, seeming r

minary questions,

hom, did you first hear o

Mose-he's the gardener, sir-he comes past the stable on his way to the tool-house, and he tells m

been up and at wor

Well, about an hour, I should s

to the house

hat I had seen the night before, when the butler he comes down and said as how Mr. Ralph Mainwa

nesday night?" asked the

iends of mine. We all went down to the city together that night and s

asked th

ayed out that night later than we meant to, and I didn't waste no time getting home after I left the depot. So, when I got to Fair Oaks, I thought

u mean?" interru

looked so queer that I stepped out of the path and behind some big trees to watch him. I hadn't no more than done so, when he stooped and picked up something, and come right up the path towards me. The moon was shining, had been up about two hours, I should say, but his back was

n did he then go?"

main avenue and tur

scribe his

ack hair; but his face was in the shad

pick up fro

but it looked like a small,

t try to ca

didn't think much about it until Uncle Mose told m

will let him tell his own

oms up-stairs. The curtains wasn't drawn, and I thought I'd see whose room it was, so I walked up towards the house carefully, and I saw Mr. Mainwaring's secretary. He looked awfully pale and haggard, and was walking up and down the room kind of excited like. Just then I happe

sed, was he?" inter

Brown answer

directly t

s,

ime was

k strike three ju

r heard no

, s

curred at the house until the ga

ith another glance towards Mrs. LaG

say?" demand

happened till Uncle Mose told

atching the witness narrowly as he

d been exchanged between Scott and Mr. Sutherland, and one or two slips of

g's supercilious stare, and his sister's expression of contemptuous disdain; and as he studied their features his own grew immobile as marble. Suddenly his glance encountered Miss Carleton's face and was held for a moment as though under a spell. There was no weak sentimentality there, no pity or sympathy,-he

unced the coroner,

ce, except for a pair of keenly observant

nwaring's valet, I bel

, sir," wa

for some time

nder his heavy brows, and replied, with great

ons, sir, have served the Mainwarings for three generations. My father, sir, was valet

ly, and, after studying Wilson's face intently for a moment, hastily pencilled a few words on a sl

Ralph Mainwaring to the scene of the murder, the latter sent him to summon Mr. Scott; but on his way to the young gentlem

en Mr. Whitney called him?"

dressed, sir,

n, that the horse belonging to young LaGrange was missing from the stables until nearly noon. Having mingled very little with the servants

tly took her place before the coroner. She answered the questions addressed her as brie

of the private room

s,

f his rooms as u

s,

ainwaring during t

ce or twice i

you last

clock Wednesd

u first heard

unning back and forth, as if there was trouble. I went out into the front

n to see him

r, for a

anything unusu

thing unusual in Mr.

u in an

s,

what

t's room, a

hat you

and do up the room. So I went in, but the bed was just as I had made it up the day before. It hadn't been slept in nor touched. Then th

he go to

ut n

e day or evening precedin

. Mainwaring's library all the afternoon

now the libra

heard him unlock the door when the butl

gentleman who cam

, s

Grange at any time dur

eplied, "I think I met him once or

home part of the

know wher

from the witness, and, as it was then past twel

ching him, her manner indicating the same frank friendliness she had shown him on the preceding day, and in response to a signal from her, as they rose from

LaGrange," she said, archly; "and she

?" he asked, wit

orning. I am positive that much of the testi

e witnesses stated facts," Scot

resented as to give an impressio

in a lighter tone, "all this testimony against me does not seem to have produced the same impression upon y

ehensions. I fail to detect the slightest anxiety on y

circumstances have conspired against me just at this time, and contempt

le judgment where their own per

others had already preceded them, "I suppose the word of one unprincipled w

eply, but Scott again saw the same inscrutable little sm