swiftly gone, was most uncanny.     

       "Close it from the INSIDE," commanded the coroner, with unmistakable emphasis. The man hesitated, and then did as he was ordered, but not without a curious look at the wife of the dead man, whose back was toward him.     

       "He will not find anything disturbed, doctor," said she, divining his thought. "I had the feeling that something was creeping toward us out of that room."     

       "You have every reason to be nervous, madam. The situation has been most       extraordinary,—most trying," said the coroner. "I beg of you to come downstairs, where we may attend to a few necessary details without delay. It has been a most fatiguing matter for all of us. Hours without sleep, and such wretched weather."     

       They descended to the warm little reception-room. She sent at once for the inn-keeper, who came in and glowered at her as if she were wholly responsible for the blight that had been put upon his place.     

       "Will you be good enough to send some one to the station with me in your depot wagon?" she demanded without hesitation.     

       He stared. "We don't run a 'bus in the winter time," he said gruffly.     

       She opened the little chatelaine bag that hung from her wrist and abstracted a card which she submitted to the coroner.     

       "You will find, Dr. Sheef, that the car my husband came up here in belongs to me. This is the card issued by the State. It is in my name. The factory number is there. You may compare it with the one on the car. My husband took the car without obtaining my consent."     

       "Joy riding," said Burton, with an ugly laugh. Then he quailed before the look she gave him.     

       "If no other means is offered, Dr. Sheef, I shall ask you to let me take the car. I am perfectly capable of driving. I have driven it in the country for two seasons. All I ask is that some one be directed to go with me to the station. No! Better than that, if there is some one here who is willing to accompany me to the city, he shall be handsomely paid for going. It is but little more than thirty miles. I refuse to spend the night in this house. That is final."     

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