Page:Frank Packard - Greater Love Hath No Man.djvu/57

 Lee, bringing up the rear, stopped for an instant beside the old maid-servant and patted her soothingly on the shoulder.

"There, there," he said gently. "You mustn't give way." Then, dropping his voice so that Varge, now in the library, would not catch the words: "Listen. I want you to tell Mr. Harold Merton that the district attorney would like to speak to him for a moment. You need say nothing about any one else being here. You quite understand?—just the district attorney."

Anna lowered her apron and cast a frightened glance at him, as she nodded her head—the district attorney, to her simple mind, inspired much the same terror that is accredited to the inquisitors of old.

"Very good, then," said Lee. "I will be in there"—he motioned toward the library door. "Please go at once."

He turned from her, stepped briskly into the library and closed the door.

"Now, Varge," he said quietly, "everything here is as it was last night, I believe, except that, the coroner having viewed the remains early this morning, the body of Doctor Merton has, of course, been removed. But before you describe what took place, I want to ask you a question or two. You told Marston here that the cause of the murder was through Doctor Merton catching you in the act of stealing his cash-box, and that your reason for taking the cash-box was because you were tired of your hum-drum, aimless life here and wanted money to get away. Now, let's see—er—I suppose the Doctor has paid you something for a