At the inquest held in the big upstair room of the Star and Garter Hotel at Kew Bridge there was a crowded attendance. By this time the public excitement had risen to fever-heat. It had by some unaccountable means leaked out that at the post-mortem we had been puzzled; therefore the mystery was much increased, and the papers that morning without exception gave prominence to the startling affair.
The coroner, seated at the table at the head of the room, took the usual formal evidence of identification, writing down the depositions upon separate sheets of blue foolscap.
Samuel Short was the first witness of importance, and those in the room listened breathlessly to the story of how his alarum clock had awakened him at two o'clock; how he had risen as usual and gone to his master's room, only to discover him dead.
"You noticed no sign of a struggle?" inquired the coroner, looking sharply up at the witness.
"None, sir. My master was lying on his side, and except for the stain of blood which attracted my attention it looked as though he had died in his sleep."
"I raised the alarm," answered Short; and then he went on to describe how he switched on the electric light, rushed downstairs, seized the knife hanging in the hall, opened one of the back doors and rushed outside.
"And why did you do that, pray?" asked the coroner, looking at him fixedly.
"I thought that someone might be lurking in the garden," the man responded, a trifle lamely.
The solicitor of Mrs. Courtenay's family, to whom she had sent asking him to be present on her behalf, rose at this juncture and addressing the coroner, said:
"I should like to put a question to the witness, sir. I represent the deceased's family."
"As you wish," replied the coroner. "But do you consider such a course wise at this stage of the inquiry? There must be an adjournment."
He understood the coroner's objection and, acquiescing, sat down.
Nurse Kate and the cook were called, and afterwards Ethelwynn, who, dressed in black and wearing a veil, looked pale and fragile as she drew off her glove in order to take the oath.
As she stood there our eyes met for an instant; then she turned towards her questioner, bracing herself for the ordeal.
"When did you last see the deceased alive?" asked the coroner, after the usual formal inquiry as to her name and connection with the family.
