“Did you see any one else take them up?”
“No, sir; not till the officer did so.”
“Very well, Loretta, sit down again till we hear what Durbin has to say about these rings.”
And then the man I hated came forward, and though I shrank from acknowledging it even to myself, I could but observe how strong and quiet and self-possessed he seemed and how decisive was his testimony. But it was equally brief. He had taken up the rings and he had looked at them; and on one, the wedding-ring, he had detected a slight stain of blood. He had called Mr. Jeffrey’s attention to it, but that gentleman had made no comment. This remark had the effect of concentrating general attention upon Mr. Jeffrey. But he seemed quite oblivious of it; his attitude remained unchanged, and only from the quick stretching out and withdrawal of Miss Tuttle’s hand could it be seen that anything had been said calculated to touch or arouse this man. The coroner cast an uneasy glance in his direction; then he motioned Durbin aside and recalled Loretta.
And now I began to be sorry for the girl. It is hard to have one’s weaknesses exposed, especially if one is more foolish than wicked. But there was no way of letting this girl off without sacrificing certain necessary points, and the coroner went relentlessly to work.
“How long have you been in this house?”
“Three weeks. Ever since Mrs. Jeffrey’s wedding day, sir.”
“Were you there when she first came as a bride from the Moore house?”
“I was, sir.”
“And saw her then for the first time?”