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intending to sit in one of the window recesses and watch for her arrival。
As I entered the library I saw a figure steal across the room and disappear
inside a closet。 I was very frightened； but had sense enough left to cross
softly to the closet and lock the door。〃 She paused in her rapid recital
and drew a long breath； then continued more slowly：
〃I hurried to the window and across the street I saw a policeman
standing under a lamp…post。 It took but a minute to call him。 The
policeman opened the closet door； put handcuffs on Mr。 Turnbull and took
him away。〃
Coroner Penfield； as well as the jurors； followed her statement with
absorbed attention。 At its end he threw down his pencil and spoke briefly
to the deputy coroner； who had been busily engaged in taking notes of the
inquest； and then he turned to Helen。
〃You heard no sound before entering the library？〃
〃No one walking about the house？〃 he persisted。
〃No。〃 She followed the negative with a short explanation。 〃I lay
down on my bed soon after dinner； not feeling very well； and slept through
the early hours of the night。〃
〃At what hour did you wake up？〃
〃About four o'clock； or a little after。〃
〃Then you were awake an hour before you discovered the supposed
burglar in your library？〃
〃Y…yes；〃 Helen's hesitation was faint。 〃About that length of time。〃
〃And you heard no unusual sounds in that hour's interval？〃
〃I heard nothing〃 … her manner was slightly defiant and Kent's heart
sank； if he had only thought to warn her not to antagonize the coroner。
〃Where were you during that hour？〃
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〃Lying down；〃 promptly。 〃Then； afraid I would drop off to sleep
again； I went downstairs。〃
Coroner Penfield consulted his notes before asking another question。
〃Who lives in your house beside you and your twin sister？〃 he asked。
〃My father； Colonel McIntyre； our house guest； Mrs。 Louis C。
Brewster； and five servants；〃 she replied。 〃Grimes； the butler； Martha；
our maid； Jane； the chambermaid； Hope； our cook； and Thomas； our
second man； the chauffeur； Harris； the scullery maid； and the laundress do
not stay at night。〃
〃Who were at home beside yourself on Monday night and early
Tuesday morning？〃
〃My father and Mrs。 Brewster； I believe the servants were in also；
except Thomas； who had asked permission to spend the night in
Baltimore。〃
〃Miss McIntyre？〃 Coroner Penfield put the next question in an
impressive manner。 〃On discovering the burglar why did you not call
your father？〃
〃My first impulse was to do so；〃 she answered promptly。 〃But on
leaving the library I passed the window； saw the policeman； and called
him in。〃 She shot a keen look at the coroner； and added softly； 〃The
policeman was qualified to make an arrest； my father would have had to
summon one had he been there。〃
〃Quite true；〃 acknowledged Penfield courteously。 〃Now； Miss
McIntyre； why did the prisoner so obligingly walk straight into a closet on
your arrival in the library？〃
〃I presume he was looking for a way out of the room and blundered
into it；〃 she explained。 〃There are seven doors opening from our library；
the prisoner may have heard me approaching； become confused； and
walked through the wrong door。〃
〃That is quite plausible … with an ordinary bona…fide burglar；〃 agreed
Penfield。 〃But was not Mr。 Turnbull acquainted with the architectural
arrangements of your house？〃
〃He was a frequent caller and an intimate friend；〃 she said； with
dignity。 〃As to his power of observation and his bump of locality I
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cannot say。 The library was but dimly lighted。〃
〃Miss McIntyre；〃 Penfield spoke slowly。 〃Were you aware of the real
identity of the burglar？〃
〃I had no suspicion that he was not what he appeared；〃 she responded。
〃He said or did nothing after his arrest to give me the slightest inkling of
his identity。〃
Penfield raised his eyebrows and shot a look at the deputy coroner
before going on with his examination。
〃You knew Mr。 Turnbull intimately； and yet you did not recognize
him？〃 he asked。
〃He wore an admirable disguise。〃 Helen touched her lips with the tip
of her tongue； inwardly she longed for the glass of ice water which she
saw standing on the reporters' table。 〃Mr。 Turnbull's associates will tell
you that he excelled in amateur theatricals。〃
Penfield looked at her critically for a moment before continuing his
questions。 She bore his scrutiny with composure。
〃Officer O'Ryan has testified that you informed him you examined the
windows of your house；〃 he said； after a brief wait。 〃Did you find any
unlocked？〃
〃Yes； one was open in the little reception room off the front door。〃
〃What floor is the room on？〃
〃The ground floor。〃
〃Would it have been easy for any one to gain admittance through the
window without attracting attention in the street？〃 was Penfield's next
question。
〃Yes。〃
〃Miss McIntyre；〃 Penfield rose； 〃I have only a few more questions to
put to you。 Why did Mr。 Turnbull come to your house … a house where he
was a welcome visitor … in the middle of the night disguised。 as a
burglar？〃
The reporters as well as the spectators bent forward to catch her reply。
〃Mr。 Turnbull had a wager with my sister； Barbara；〃 she explained。
〃She bet him that he could not break into the house without being
discovered。〃
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Penfield considered her answer before addressing her again。
〃Why didn't Mr。 Turnbull tell you who he was when you had him
arrested？〃 he asked。
Helen shrugged her shoulders。 〃I cannot answer that question； for I