“Why not?” broke in Penfield.
“She said it were too far off from her folks, dat she had to be down whar she could hear dem. I tole her dat de warn’t no room down on de second flo’, dat dey was all occupied, an’ she says, quick-like, dat she had jes’ been in de room in de wing, an’ dat she’d sleep dar.”
“Ah, then it was her own suggestion that she should occupy the room,” exclaimed Brett quickly.
“Yessir. She dun say dat de bed looked comfo’able, an’ dat she’d jes’ take de bedclothes offer de bed in de room on de third flo’, an’ move her things down inter de odder room. Sophy tole her dat de place were mighty dusty, ’cause it’s been used as a storeroom, but Annette said she’d ’tend ter dat.”
“Did she speak to Colonel Thornton or to Miss Eleanor before moving into the room?” asked Douglas, thoughtfully.
“No, suh, I don’t think she did. I axed her ef she had, an’ she said dat dey was all in de drawin’-room, waitin’ fer dinnah, an’ dat she didn’t want ter ’sturb ’em, an’ dat dey wouldn’t care whar she slep’.”
“Then no one knew she was occupying that room except you and Sophy?” asked the puzzled coroner.
“No, suh; ’less she tole dem later. I done warned her dat dat room were unlucky,”—Nicodemus’ eyes rolled in his head,—“an’ dat no good would cum ob her sleepin’ dar, an’ she jes’ larf and larf. An’ now she’s daid,”—he shook his woolly head solemnly; “it doan do ter trifle wid ghosts.”
“I won’t keep you any longer,” said the coroner, after a long pause. “Send Sophy up here, Nicodemus. By the way, is she any relation of yours?”
“Yessir, she’s ma sister, an’ we’ve bof worked hyar since befo de wah. I’ll send her right up, suh,” and he disappeared.