"Then who had?" asked the detective.
"What would you say to Margery?"
"What, the niece--that half-witted girl?"
"Exactly. Half-witted. She is more like an animal than anything human. She gets these sudden fits of rage. When Miss Bull fainted Margery rushed in and threatened me with her fists. Seeing what an uncontrollable temper she had, it occurred to me that she might have killed her aunt."
"But Miss Bull says that the aunt locked the girl in her room."
"Of course, but Miss Bull may know the truth, and may be shielding Margery--she seems to have a strange affection for the girl. What if Mrs. Jersey--to vary the story--found Margery down the stairs after Lola was gone, and instead of rebuking her as Miss Bull said in the passage----"
"At eleven o'clock, mind."
"Later, I think," said George, quickly. "You did not arrive till nearly twelve, and the woman was just dead."
"I don't think a few minutes would make much difference," said Bawdsey, quietly, "but go on, sir. Let me hear your theory."
"Well, I fancy that Mrs. Jersey caught Margery down the stairs, and took her into her own room to rebuke her quietly, so that the rest of the house might not hear. Also she would be anxious to learn if the girl had overheard her conversation with Lola. If Margery had, she would assuredly have told Miss Bull. Mrs. Jersey would be afraid of that, and I dare say she stormed at Margery to make her speak."