Page:Burton Stevenson--The marathon mystery.djvu/41

Rh "Are you acquainted with the murderer?"

"No, sir."

"You never saw him before?"

"No, sir."

"But you could identify him, if the police succeed in capturing him?"

"Oh, yes, sir."

"You have already given Mr. Simmonds a description of him?"

"Yes, sir; as well as I could."

"And told him the whole story?"

"Yes, sir—the whole story."

"Except one detail, I believe—you did not explain how you came to be in this room."

"No, sir; I did not tell him that,” she answered, in a low tone.

"Will you tell me?"

"I do not think it concerns the police, sir."

"You would better let me judge of that; if it does not concern the police, I promise you it shall go no farther."

She was looking at him anxiously; she moistened her lips and glanced uncertainly at Godfrey.

"Do you object to Mr. Godfrey's presence?" asked the coroner.

"Oh, not at all," she said quickly. "I'm very glad that Mr. Godfrey is here."

"I persist," continued Goldberg, "because I think that perhaps the story may help us to identify this man."

"It won't," said Miss Croydon; "but I will tell you—briefly, this man claimed to have certain—papers