“In the third story?”
“Yes.”
Coroner Benson was a patient man. He had no wish to confound Miss Morton with Marie’s evidence, and too, there was a chance that Marie had not told the truth. So he spoke again persuasively:
“You went there afterward, but first you stopped for a moment or two in Miss Van Norman’s sitting-room.”
“Who says I did?”
“An eye-witness, who chanced to see you.”
“Chanced to see me, indeed! Nothing of the sort! It was that little French minx, Marie, who is everlastingly spying about! Well, she is not to be believed.”
“I am sorry to doubt your own statement, Miss Morton, but another member of the household also saw you. Denial is useless; it would be better for you to tell us simply why you went to Miss Van Norman’s room at that time.”
“It’s nobody’s business,” snapped Miss Morton. “My errand there had nothing to do in any way with Madeleine Van Norman, dead or alive.”
“Then, there is no reason you should not tell frankly what that errand was.”