"Now, Mrs. Jeffries," he began encouragingly, "tell me—did you ever hear your husband threaten Howard Underwood?"
By this time Annie had recovered her self-possession. She knew that the best way to help Howard was to keep cool and to say nothing which was likely to injure his cause. Boldly, therefore, she answered:
"You've no right to ask me that question."
The captain shifted uneasily in his seat. He knew she was within her legal rights. He couldn't bully her into saying anything that would incriminate her husband.
"I merely thought you would like to assist the authorities, to——" he stammered awkwardly.
"To convict my husband," she said calmly. "Thank you, I understand my position."
"You can't do him very much harm, you know," said the captain with affected jocularity. "He has confessed to the shooting."
"I don't believe it," she said emphatically.
Trying a different tack, he asked carelessly:
"Did you know Mr. Underwood?"