human
What time was that?
gpt
Just at ten, replied witness, flushing at the smile on the faces of those who knew of the love romance.
human
The clock struck ten while I was speaking to Henry--I mean to Mr. Vand--and not knowing that it was so late I feared lest my brother should be angry. Jabez was always very particular as to the house being locked up, so I thought he might shut me out. I went in by the back door, having the key, and retired at once to bed.
gpt
Did you not see your brother?
human
No, sir. Knowing Jabez's violent temper I had no wish to see him, lest there should be trouble. I went on tip-toe to bed, after locking the back door.
gpt
Did you hear Mr. Huxham moving about,
human
No, Mr. Tatters, I didn't. Everything was quiet as I passed the door of the study, and it was closed.
gpt
Did you see a light in the window of the study when at the boundary channel with Mr. Vand?
human
No; I looked too, said the witness,
gpt
Did you see a light under the study door when passing through the hall?
human
No, and that made me believe that Jabez had gone to bed. But I didn't think of looking into the study; if I had, witness shuddered,
gpt
This evidence takes an hour off your time of death, doctor, he said sourly.
human
You say that the man was murdered after eight and before eleven. Well then, as this witness reached the house just after ten and saw no light in the study the deceased must have been dead when she passed through the hall on her way to bed.
gpt
Oh, groaned Mrs. Coppersley, with her handkerchief to her lips.
human
How dreadful if I'd looked in to see Jabez weltering in his gore.
gpt
It's a pity you didn't, rejoined the Coroner sharply,
human
Yes, cried Mrs. Coppersley violently,
gpt
Drugged! Drugged! What do you mean by drugged?
human
Ask Bella, retorted Mrs. Coppersley.
gpt
I've told all I'm going to tell.
human
Not all, said the Coroner,
gpt
I didn't notice at the time, being anxious to escape Jabez and get to bed.
human
Did you notice if it was locked in the morning?
gpt
Yes, when I opened it for Tunks to go for the police.
human
It _was_ locked, said Bella, rising at this juncture,
gpt
You can give your evidence when I ask you, snapped the Coroner rudely.
human
Humph! So the front door was locked and the back door also. How did the assassin escape? He couldn't have gone by the front door after committing the crime, since the key was in the inside, and you locked the back door coming and going, Mrs. Coppersley.
gpt
The murdering beast, said the witness melodramatically,
human
Then he must be a very small man, retorted the Coroner,
gpt
Please yourself, said Mrs. Coppersley, with an air of indifference,
human
Possibly. If the assassin was in the study when you passed through the hall, Mrs. Coppersley.
gpt
Ugh, shivered the witness,
human
There, there, don't bellow, said the Coroner, testily,
gpt
But you can't say as I did for him,
human
No one suggests such a thing, snapped the Coroner.
gpt
Had you any reason to believe that deceased expected to be murdered?
human
I have and I haven't, he said at length;
gpt
witness jerked his head towards the ceiling,
human
Do you mean to say that the deceased planted the corn as a protection against some one coming on him unawares?
gpt
Yes, I do, said Tunks, sturdily,
human
We don't want to hear your ideas, said the Coroner;