“Oh, no!”
“You are sure of that?”
“Quite sure.”
“Have you, gentlemen, any questions to ask this witness?” went on the coroner, turning to the jury.
A stout man with gray whiskers leaned forward in his seat.
“I should just like to ask Miss Claris,” he said, “whether the deceased had not used certain threats towards her? He is known to have said that he had used threats.”
The coroner looked as if he was uncertain whether he should allow this question; but Nell answered by a movement of her head in assent.
“He did use threats to you?” persisted the juryman.
“Yes, but—”
“He threatened to tell the police who it was that committed the robberies at your uncle’s house?”