A Chance Acquaintance

commanded the coroner sternly. "Simply answer

em to Mis

t your

dey's bills she doesn't gib 'em to M

embroke when you

, sah, jes' fini

id you

Gen'ally he hollers at me when I knock. So I knock again an' again, an' when he don't holler out cross-like, I 'mos' know sump

you d

to go in his room. An' den she did. An' she scream out: 'Oh, Charlotte, uncle has had a stroke or sumpin! What

we have had the history of events. But to go back

ck. I went out befo' dat, but I come in sh

guests here whe

t and her uncle-dey sat in de

he quizzical look on her face, gave a distin

leasant sort?" the Coroner c

leasantly, sah. He jes' nachelly scold Miss Janet alw

e scolding

Pembroke, and the expression on that young lady's face, was so unmistakably a desire for Char

r. Ross, "what

sah! nuff

e about to s

mbroke, and again the girl gave her a look whi

blowin' her up kase de bills wuz so big. He always said de bills wuz 'normous,

is line of query and

directly behind her. "Now," he went on, "remember you are under oath to tell the truth, and see tha

ternly ordered her to sit still and to answer the question. He added some remarks of a warning nature about pun

to you-all?" she gaspe

ckly," comman

she did ask Mr. Pembro

refuse

he'd gib it to her, ef s

George Lawre

the exposure of these personal matters, and espe

manner which accompanied his words. It seemed to me distinctly mean

law is justified in getting evidence from any reliable source

tigation, I take it, is for the purpose of discovering the murderer of Mr. Robert Pemb

wever I agree with you, to this extent. I think it will be preferable not to learn of these matters through the testimony of a

ied than before. He seemed to me to look positively al

r of hauteur which I had sometimes noticed on her face when I had met her before I was

nkindly, but with an air of cold

e?" he sa

t Pem

tion to th

Robert Pembroke was my

ved wit

with him since

kind t

N

ger or resentment, but merely in th

he not ki

He had a dreadful and ungovernable temper, which was doubtless due

as he cru

es

ffer you perso

uck me seve

s. To think of that exquisite creat

you not l

and, too, he needed

ford to hire

m care and attention in return for what he had always done for me. Besides, it was difficult for hi

l with you in

was

or household expenses or

bo

contents of you

d

his death you will inhe

es

he coroner's face took on an even harder and colder look than it had had before. I wondered why he

stimony of Charlo

es

rrobora

as it concer

st this morning, when Charlo

es

thought

I thought it might be a paralytic stroke, or something

touch t

shudder, which seemed to be not

y n

ered slightly, but with a sudden accession of extre

deemed the proper thing was to send

liar way, I thought, as, without ces

last see you

ng-room last evening, t

rently as we

ublesome, but he had no oth

hour wa

ten o

in a bad temper

wa

ciall

es

as the

e household accounts, and he

often

pon looking ov

s expected

signation, that made it pathetic to look upon. What that poor

w anger with you fo

though with a rising color in her

perative that I should know the facts of the case. What was the reason

cause I refused to becom

eroy, your un

hat is

wished you t

di

asked you to be

ha

ill that Janet Pembroke could speak thus dispassionately of the man with whom I had feared she was in love. And, yet, in love with him she might be, for as a lawyer, I knew m

the Coron

u a large sum of money if

urse brought about this question, but she answered, in a steady voice:

ed him for a lar

d don

d him las

es

ad a large sum of

mmered or hesitated in her speech, and though it told against her in the min

he money for?" said

d like those of an accusing goddess. "You have no rig

Lawrence, and his haughty, disdainful tones seemed like

not repeat his question. Instead

any enemies th

ke; "owing to his unfortunate disposition, my uncle had no friends, b

his room, you say, a

his usual hou

you hear anything in the night-any no

ave was fairly forced from her; it came hesitatingly, and her statements were unconvincing. She needed help, she needed counsel; she was too young and inexperi

embroke. Are you sure you h

r they come from the halls, the other apartments or the elevator. But I heard no noise that I considered suspicious or of evil import. Nothi

heard your uncle he was lea

es

arted young girl to remember that her uncle's last words to her had been uttered in anger. This, however,

do after your

ing-room and read

d t

t the lights a

er examination, and started to return t

must ask you a few more quest

e time earlier-about nin

ur uncle left you

es

bed you put out the

es

f a second, and then cleared his throat and went

as if the matter we

it off this morning, at eight, how was it possible for a marauder to enter, as the inspector tells me

returning to her pale face, and then, sin