LITMIR.BIZ

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was the first person whom you met and told of your discovery?"

      "Well, sir, I went first for Mr. Whitney, because he was a friend of Mr. Mainwaring's and a lawyer, and I thought he would know what to do; but on my way to his room I met Wilson, Mr. Ralph Mainwaring's valet, and I told him what had happened; then I called Mr. Whitney and told him Mr. Mainwaring had shot himself."

      "Did you get the impression that Mr. Mainwaring bad shot himself from the fact that the revolver lay near his band, or had you any other reasons for that inference?"

      "No, sir, that was the only reason."

      "Can you state positively whether this revolver belonged to Mr. Mainwaring?" asked the coroner, at the same time passing the weapon to Hardy.

      "Yes, sir," replied the latter, promptly, handing it back after a moment's inspection, "that is Mr. Mainwaring's revolver. I've cleaned it many a time, and there's little marks on it that I know sure."

      "Very well. After summoning Mr. Whitney, did you call any other members of the household?"

      "Mr. Whitney sent me to call Mr. Ralph Mainwaring; but I met Wilson again, and he said he had just told Mr. Mainwaring and Mr. Thornton, and was on his way to the room of young Mr. Mainwaring. Down the hall I met the butler and told him what had happened, and we both went into the library, and I stayed there till Mr. Whitney came."

      "When did you last see Mr. Hugh Mainwaring?"

      "Shortly after dinner last evening, between seven and eight o'clock, I should say, sir."

      "Where was that?"

      "In the main hall down-stairs, sir. He stopped me to say that he would not need me last evening, and that after locking up his rooms for the night I could have my time to myself."

      "Was the locking of his rooms usually included among your duties at night?"

      "Yes, sir; his private rooms and the hall on the south side."

      "Did you have any stated time for doing this?"

      "At nine o'clock, sir."

      "You locked the rooms as usual last night?"

      "Yes, sir; that is, I locked them all right, but it was later than usual."

      "How was that?"

      "About half an hour after Mr. Mainwaring spoke to me, the housekeeper came and asked me to keep the rooms open till about ten o'clock, as she was expecting callers and wanted to receive them by the south hall into her private parlor."

      "At what time did you lock the rooms?"

      "A few minutes after ten, sir. I felt kind of uneasy, because it was Mr. Mainwaring's orders that the rooms be shut at nine; so soon as 'twas ten o'clock I went around outside, and, seeing no light in her parlor, I went in and locked the hall and then went up-stairs to lock the rooms there."

      "Did you see any strangers about the place at that time?"

      "No, sir."

      "You saw no one in any of Mr. Mainwaring's private rooms?"

      "No strangers, you mean? No, sir."

      "Was there any one in his rooms?"

      "The housekeeper was in the library. She had gone up-stairs that way, she said, and had found the door into the main hall locked, and hearing me come, she waited for me to open it."

      "Had you locked the door into the main hall?"

      "No, sir; that door wasn't usually locked in the evening. I don't know who locked it, but I opened it for her and then locked it again."

      "Are you positive there was no one else in those rooms at that time?"

      "Yes, sir, pretty sure," replied Hardy, with a smile, "for I looked them over uncommon thorough last night. I thought at first that I smelled smoke, like something burning, but I looked around careful and everything was all right."

      At this point Mr. Whitney held a whispered consultation with the coroner for a moment.

      "You say," continued the latter, "you thought you smelled something burning; could you state what the material seemed to be?"

      "Well, sir, I thought it was like paper burning; but I must have been mistaken, for the papers on the table was all right and there was nothing in the fireplace."

      "Did you see or hear anything unusual about the place at any time last night?"

      "No, sir."

      For a moment the coroner was occupied with a slip of paper which had been passed to him through a number of hands; then he said, —

      "Before you are dismissed, will you describe the locks used on the doors of Mr. Mainwaring's library and the south hall."

      "They had the ordinary locks, sir; and then, in addition, a small, patent lock, that when a certain spring was turned the door locked of itself and could not be opened from either side unless one had the key and understood the working of the spring."

      "Who had keys to fit these locks?"

      "No one but Mr. Mainwaring. When he was home and wanted the doors unlocked, he hung the keys in a particular place in the library where I could find them, and when he went away he always took them with him."

      "Did you unlock the library doors this morning?"

      "Only the door into the main hall when I went to call Mr. Whitney, — that had nothing but an ordinary lock; but the other door, into the south hall, was unlocked and the keys gone when I first went into the library."

      "One question more. Do you know whether any one else in the house had knowledge of or access to, these particular keys?"

      "I don't know for certain, sir, but I think not."

      The attorney was next called upon, and came forward, while Hardy resumed his former place among the servants.

      "Mr. Whitney," said the coroner, after the witness had given the details of his arrival in the tower-room in response to the valet's summons, "will you please state when, and under what circumstances, you last saw Hugh Mainwaring living."

      "At nearly eleven o'clock last night. Mr. Mainwaring had just bidden his guests good-night, and I believe they had all retired to their rooms, leaving him and myself together upon the veranda in front of the house. I remained with him about ten minutes, I should judge, talking over the events of the day which had been of unusual interest. I remember his remarking that he should not retire for an hour or so, as, to use his own expression, his thoughts would not let him sleep. We clasped hands with an exchange of good wishes. That was the last I ever saw him living or heard him speak."

      Mr. Whitney's voice trembled slightly towards the close of his recital, but as he repeated Hugh Mainwaring's words a smile of scorn passed over the face of Mrs. LaGrange, who was seated directly opposite.

      "Will you please state," said the coroner, "how Mr. Mainwaring had been engaged during the day, yesterday."

      "Until about half-past two his time was spent in the preparation, with the assistance of his secretary and myself, and the execution of his last will and testament. The remainder of the day was devoted to the entertainment of his guests."

      "Will you give briefly and in general terms the conditions of the will."

      "With the exception of an annuity to his housekeeper and a handsome bequest to her son, it conveyed everything to his cousin and namesake, Hugh Mainwaring, Jr., whom he intended to-day to formally declare his heir."

      "Where was this document placed, Mr. Whitney?"

      "It was, at Mr. Mainwaring's request, placed by his secretary on his desk in the tower-room."

      "You can give no further information regarding this will, now missing?"

      "Only this," replied Mr. Whitney, with marked emphasis, "that we now have positive proof that the will was burned."

      There was a general movement of

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