"I had just locked it when
Mrs. Brewster came in, along with Colonel McIntyre and Mr. Clymer,
and they sat down to talk. When I left the room the window was
locked fast, and so was every door and window in the place," he
declared aggressively. " I'll take my dying oath to it, sir."
Penfield looked at Grimes; that he was telling the truth was
unmistakable.
"Who sits up to let in the young ladies when they go to balls?" he
asked.
"Generally no one, sir, because Colonel McIntyre accompanies them
or calls for them, and he has his latch-key. Lately," added Grimes
as an after-thought, "Miss Helen has been using a duplicate
latch-key."
"Has Miss Barbara McIntyre a latch-key, also?" asked Penfield.
"No, sir, I believe not," the butler looked dubious. "I recall
that Colonel McIntyre gave Miss Helen her key at the luncheon table,
and he said, then, to Miss Barbara that he couldn't trust her with
one because she would be sure to lose it, she is that careless."
The coroner asked the next question with such abruptness that the
butler started.
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