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 hestimony 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