Ashton-Kirk, Secret Agent. John T. McIntyre

was."

      "Should you have seen any one entering the library?"

      "I should. To go into that room he would first have to come through the hall."

      "There were no visitors in the house at any time during the evening?"

      "No,"said Nanon. "I should have heard them ring, even if some one else had admitted them."

      Ashton-Kirk turned to the girl.

      "It is necessary that I know everything that can be told me as to what took place in the house to-night. So you will pardon a question or two, I know."

      She inclined her head in answer to this; but her mouth twitched nervously, and her hands held tightly to the chair upon which she sat.

      "Where were you when you learned that Dr. Morse was dead?"proceeded Ashton-Kirk.

      "In my sitting-room, where I had gone to read immediately after dinner."

      "Who brought the news?"

      "Nanon. She stood at the foot of the back stairs and called to me."

      "Where is your sitting-room?"

      "On the second floor at the back; the door was open and I heard her at once."

      "Did you hear or see anything else, previous to this?"

      "Very early in the evening I saw Drevenoff going to his room on the third floor; I sat facing the doorway and had a view of the stairs."

      "He did not come down again?"

      "Not until Nanon called him."

      "You are quite sure of that?"

      "Quite. I should have seen him had he come down."

      There was a pause of some length; the secret agent looked from one to the other of the two women, and finally he said to Nanon:

      "You say that you are not sure that the second voice you heard in the library was Mr. Warwick's?"

      Again came the quick, deep drawn breath from the girl; and again the gray eyes of the old woman sought her face. At the same time she replied:

      "I heard a voice. Whose it was, I cannot say."

      There was another pause; then he turned to Miss Corbin.

      "At all events,"said he, smoothly, "I should like to speak to him."

      She arose a trifle unsteady.

      "I am sorry,"she said in a low voice, "but I am afraid that is impossible, just now."

      "Impossible?"

      "He is not here—he has gone away."

      "Gone away!"It was old Nanon's voice, and it was pitched a shade higher than usual. She took a step toward the girl, the thick gray brows bent over the sharp-sighted eyes. "Where has he gone? Why did he go?"

      The girl did not reply; she put her hands to her face, and the secret agent as he looked at her saw that she shivered as though struck with a chill.

      "I do not know,"she said.

      For a moment the old woman stood looking at her, something like menace in her face; it seemed as though she were about to burst forth into a torrent of words. But Ashton-Kirk rose.

      "If you don't mind,"said he, calmly, "I should like to go through the house."

      Slowly the stern eyes turned from the girl to the speaker.

      "You will not see him?"indicating the direction of the library.

      "Not until afterward."

      Without another word she walked toward the door. Ashton-Kirk followed her; as he was stepping into the hall he looked back. Stella Corbin was standing erect, her hands clasped, her face white and drawn with what seemed suspense; and the great dark eyes, filled with terror, were fixed steadily upon him.