"Ohone! Ohone! don't take me to prison!" she wailed.
"You prefer to answer?"
"Yis, if Oi must. But Oi think Miss Margaret the swatest little lady—"
"Never mind that. When did the girl and her stepmother quarrel last? Come now, tell me the plain truth," and the coroner put as much of sternness as possible in his voice.
"Well, thin, if yez has got to know, it was on the marnin' av the murders, sur," sniffled the servant girl.
"When was this?"
"Right afther breakfast. They had some words at the table, too."
"What was said? Repeat the exact words if you can," and the coroner leaned forward expectantly, while many in the courtroom held their breath.
"Mrs. Langmore said she wished Miss Margaret was off the face of the earth, an' that she'd be afther seein' that the dear girrul wasn't in the house much longer. 'Twas a very bitter scene, an' me heart wint out to the dear girrul—"
"And what did Miss Margaret reply to that?"