"Oh, I am so glad to get it back," cried the girl. "I can never thank you enough. I was afraid to come for it."
"It is all right," said the Inspector. "The police theory was that it was the housekeeper's hat. You are welcome to it."
Kent had been looking closely at the girl before him.
"You have more to say than that," he said. "Tell me all."
"Oh, I will, I will, Mr. Kent. That dreadful night! I was here. I saw, at least I heard it all."
She shuddered.
"Oh, Mr. Kent, it was dreadful! I had come back that evening to the library to finish some work. I knew that Mr. Kelly was to dine out and that I would be alone. I had been working quietly for some time when I became aware of voices in the billiard-room. I tried not to listen, but they seemed to be quarrelling, and I couldn't help hearing. Oh, Mr. Kent, was I wrong?"
"No," said Kent, taking her hand a moment, "you were not."
"I heard one say, 'Get your foot off the table, you've no right to put your foot on the table.' Then the other said, 'Well, you keep your stomach off the cushion then.'" The girl shivered. "Then presently one said, quite fiercely, 'Get back into balk there, get back fifteen inches,' and the other voice said, 'By God! I'll shoot from here.' Then there was a dead stillness, and then a voice almost screamed, 'You've potted me. You've potted me. That ends it.' And then I heard the other say in a low tone, 'Forgive me, I didn't mean it. I never meant it to end that way.'
"I was so frightened, Mr. Kent, I couldn't stay any longer. I rushed downstairs and ran all the way home. Then next day I read what had happened, and I knew that I had left my hat there, and was afraid. Oh, Mr. Kent, save me!"