enemies, I have not one, man or woman—least of all a woman!"
"'Least of all a woman?'" Trant repeated quickly. "Do you mean by that that you have reason to believe a woman did it?"
"Yes; a woman! They all heard her! But—I will tell you everything I can. Last Wednesday afternoon, as I said, I was in Chicago. The two maids who look after the front part of the house were also out; they are sisters and had gone to the funeral of a brother."
"Leaving what others in the house?" Trant interrupted the rapid current of his speech with a quick gesture.
"My mother, who has hip trouble and cannot go up- or downstairs without help; my ward, Iris Pierce, who had gone to her room to take a nap and was so sound asleep upon her bed that when they went for her twenty minutes later she was aroused with difficulty; my old colored nurse, Ulame, whom you must have seen pass through here a moment ago; and the cook, who was in the back part of the house. The gardener, who was the only other person anywhere about the place, had been busy in the conservatory, but about a quarter to three went to sweep a light snowfall from the walks. Fifteen minutes later my mother in her bedroom in the north wing heard the door bell; but no one went to the door."
"Why was that?"
"Besides my mother, who was helpless, and Iris who was in her room, only the cook and Ulame, as
