\"what is it, dixon?\" asked margaret, the moment she had shut thedrawing-room door.

\"e this way, miss,\" said dixon, opening the door of what had beenmrs. hale\"s bed-chamber, now margaret\"s, for her father refused tosleep there again after his wife\"s death. \"it\"s nothing, miss,\" said dixon,choking a little. \"only a police-inspector. he wants to see you, miss. buti dare say, it\"s about nothing at all.\"

\"did he name--\" asked margaret, almost inaudibly.

\"no, miss; he named nothing. he only asked if you lived here, and if hecould speak to you. martha went to the door, and let him in; she hasshown him into master\"s study. i went to him myself, to try if that woulddo; but no--it\"s you, miss, he wants.\"

margaret did not speak again till her hand was on the lock of the studydoor. here she turned round and said, \"take care papa does not edown. mr. thornton is with him now.\"

the inspector was almost daunted by the haughtiness of her manner asshe entered. there was something of indignation expressed in hercountenance, but so kept down and controlled, that it gāve her a superbair of disdain. there was no surprise, no curiosity. she stood awaitingthe opening of his business there. not a question did she ask.

\"i beg your pardon, ma\"am, but my duty obliges me to ask you a fewplain questions. a man has died at the infirmary, in consequence of afall, received at outwood station, between the hours of five and six onthursday evening, the twenty-sixth instant. at the time, this fall did notseem of much consequence; but it was rendered fatal, the doctors say,by the presence of some internal plaint, and the man\"s own habit ofdrinking.\"

the large dark eyes, gazing straight into the inspector\"s face, dilated alittle. otherwise there was no motion perceptible to his experiencedobservation. her lips swelled out into a richer curve than ordinary,owing to the enforced tension of the muscles, but he did not know whatwas their usual appearance, so as to recognise the unwonted sullendefiance of the firm sweeping lines. she never blenched or trembled.

she fixed him with her eye. now--as he paused before going on, shesaid, almost as if she would encourage him in telling his tale--\"well--goon!\"

..。xt-。

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