fumble　in　search　of　a　bell。　　The　Hepworths　lived　chiefly　in　the　room
  at　the　back。　　The　light　in　the　drawing…room　may　have　been　switched
  off　for　economy's　sake。　　Jetson　recounted　the　incident　on　reaching
  home；　not　as　anything　remarkable；　but　just　as　one　mentions　an　item
  of　gossip。　　The　only　one　who　appears　to　have　attached　any　meaning　to
  the　affair　was　Jetson's　youngest　daughter；　then　a　girl　of　eighteen。
  She　asked　one　or　two　questions　about　the　man；　and；　during　the
  evening；　slipped　out　by　herself　and　ran　round　to　the　Hepworths。　　She
  found　the　house　empty。　　At　all　events；　she　could　obtain　no　answer；
  and　the　place；　back　and　front；　seemed　to　her　to　be　uncannily　silent。
  Jetson　called　the　next　morning；　something　of　his　daughter's
  uneasiness　having　communicated　itself　to　him。　　Mrs。　Hepworth　herself
  opened　the　door　to　him。　　In　his　evidence　at　the　trial；　Jetson
  admitted　that　her　appearance　had　startled　him。　　She　seems　to　have
  anticipated　his　questions　by　at　once　explaining　that　she　had　had
  news　of　an　unpleasant　nature；　and　had　been　worrying　over　it　all
  night。　　Her　husband　had　been　called　away　suddenly　to　America；　where
  it　would　be　necessary　for　her　to　join　him　as　soon　as　possible。　　She
  would　come　round　to　Jetson's　office　later　in　the　day　to　make
  arrangements　about　getting　rid　of　the　house　and　furniture。
  The　story　seemed　to　reasonably　account　for　the　stranger's　visit；　and
  Jetson；　expressing　his　sympathy　and　promising　all　help　in　his　power；
  continued　his　way　to　the　office。　　She　called　in　the　afternoon　and
  handed　him　over　the　keys；　retaining　one　for　herself。　　She　wished　the
  furniture　to　be　sold　by　auction；　and　he　was　to　accept　almost　any
  offer　for　the　house。　　She　would　try　and　see　him　again　before
  sailing；　if　not；　she　would　write　him　with　her　address。　　She　was
  perfectly　cool　and　collected。　　She　had　called　on　his　wife　and
  daughters　in　the　afternoon；　and　had　wished　them　good…bye。
  Outside　Jetson's　office　she　hailed　a　cab；　and　returned　in　it　to
  Laleham　Gardens　to　collect　her　boxes。　　The　next　time　Jetson　saw　her
  she　was　in　the　dock；　charged　with　being　an　accomplice　in　the　murder
  of　her　husband。
  *　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*
  The　body　had　been　discovered　in　a　pond　some　hundred　yards　from　the
  unfinished　end　of　Laleham　Gardens。　　A　house　was　in　course　of
  erection　on　a　neighbouring　plot；　and　a　workman；　in　dipping　up　a　pail
  of　water；　had　dropped　in　his　watch。　　He　and　his　mate；　worrying　round
  with　a　rake；　had　drawn　up　pieces　of　torn　clothing；　and　this；　of
  course；　had　led　to　the　pond　being　properly　dragged。　　Otherwise　the
  discovery　might　never　have　been　made。
  The　body；　heavily　weighted　with　a　number　of　flat…irons　fastened　to
  it　by　a　chain　and　padlock；　had　sunk　deep　into　the　soft　mud；　and
  might　have　remained　there　till　it　rotted。　　A　valuable　gold　repeater；
  that　Jetson　remembered　young　Hepworth　having　told　him　had　been　a
  presentation　to　his　father；　was　in　its　usual　pocket；　and　a　cameo
  ring　that　Hepworth　had　always　worn　on　his　third　finger　was　likewise
  fished　up　from　the　mud。　　Evidently　the　murder　belonged　to　the
  category　of　crimes　passionel。　　The　theory　of　the　prosecution　was
  that　it　had　been　committed　by　a　man　who；　before　her　marriage；　had
  been　Mrs。　Hepworth's　lover。
  The　evidence；　contrasted　with　the　almost　spiritually　beautiful　face
  of　the　woman　in　the　dock；　came　as　a　surprise　to　everyone　in　court。
  Originally　connected　with　an　English　circus　troupe　touring　in
  Holland；　she　appears；　about　seventeen；　to　have　been　engaged　as　a
  〃song　and　dance　artiste〃　at　a　particularly　shady　cafe　chantant　in
  Rotterdam；　frequented　chiefly　by　sailors。　　From　there　a　man；　an
  English　sailor　known　as　Charlie　Martin；　took　her　away；　and　for　some
  months　she　had　lived　with　him　at　a　small　estaminet　the　other　side　of
  the　river。　　Later；　they　left　Rotterdam　and　came　to　London；　where
  they　took　lodgings　in　Poplar；　near　to　the　docks。
  It　was　from　this　address　in　Poplar　that；　some　ten　months　before　the
  murder；　she　had　married　young　Hepworth。　　What　had　become　of　Martin
  was　not　known。　　The　natural　assumption　was　that；　his　money　being
  exhausted；　he　had　returned　to　his　calling；　though　his　name；　for　some
  reason；　could　not　be　found　in　any　ship's　list。
  That　he　was　one　and　the　same　with　the　man　that　Jetson　had　watched
  till　the　door　of　the　Hepworths'　house　had　closed　upon　him　there
  could　be　no　doubt。　　Jetson　described　him　as　a　thick…set；
  handsome…looking　man；　with　a　reddish　beard　and　moustache。　　Earlier
  in　the　day　he　had　been　seen　at　Hampstead；　where　he　had　dined　at　a
  small　coffee…shop　in　the　High　Street。　　The　girl　who　had　waited　on
  him　had　also　been　struck　by　the　bold；　piercing　eyes　and　the　curly
  red　beard。　　It　had　been　an　off…time；　between　two　and　three；　when　he
  had　dined　there；　and　the　girl　admitted　that　she　had　found　him　a
  〃pleasant…spoken　gentleman；〃　and　〃inclined　to　be　merry。〃　　He　had
  told　her　that　he　had　arrived　in　England　only　three　days　ago；　and
  that　he　hoped　that　evening　to　see　his　sweetheart。　　He　had
  accompanied　the　words　with　a　laugh；　and　the　girl　thoughtthough；　of
  course；　this　may　have　been　after…suggestionthat　an　ugly　look
  followed　the　laugh。
  One　imagines　that　it　was　this　man's　return　that　had　been　the　fear
  constantly　haunting　young　Hepworth。　　The　three　raps　on　the　door；　it
  was　urged　by　the　prosecution；　was　a　pre…arranged　or　pre…understood
  signal；　and　the　door　had　been　opened　by　the　woman。　　Whether　the
  husband　was　in　the　house；　or　whether　they　waited　for　him；　could　not
  be　said。　　He　had　been　killed　by　a　bullet　entering　through　the　back
  of　the　neck；　the　man　had　evidently　come　prepared。
  Ten　days　had　elapsed　between　the　murder　and　the　finding　of　the　body；
  and　the　man　was　never　traced。　　A　postman　had　met　him　coming　from　the
  neighbourhood　of　Laleham　Gardens　at　about　half…past　nine。　　In　the
  fog；　they　had　all　but　bumped　into　one　another；　and　the　man　had
  immediately　turned　away　his　face。
  About　the　soft　felt　hat　there　was　nothing　to　excite　attention；　but
  the　long；　stiff；　yellow　mackintosh　was　quite　unusual。　　The　postman
  had　caught　only　a　momentary　glimpse　of　the　face；　but　was　certain　it
  was　clean　shaven。　　This　made　a　sensation　in　court　for　the　moment；
  but　only　until　the　calling　of　the　next　witness。　　The　charwoman
  usually　employed　by　the　Hepworths　had　not　been　admitted　to　the　house
  on　the　morning　of　Mrs。　Hepworth's　departure。　　Mrs。　Hepworth　had　met
  her　at　the　door　and　paid　her　a　week's　money　in　lieu　of　notice；
  explaining　to　her　that　she　would　not　be　wanted　any　more。　　Jetson；
  thinking　he　might　possibly　do　better　by　letting　the　house　furnished；
  had　sent　for　this　woman；　and　instructed　her　to　give　the　place　a
  thorough　cleaning。　　Sweeping　the　carpet　in　the　dining…room　with　a
  dustpan　and　brush；　she　had　discovered　a　number　of　short　red　hairs。
  The　man；　before　leaving　the　house；　had　shaved　himself。
  That　he　had　still　retained　the　long；　yellow　mackintosh　may　have　been
  with　the　idea　of　starting　a　false　clue。　　Having　served　its　purpose；
  it　could　be　discarded。　　The　beard　would　not　have　been　so　easy。　　What
  roundabout　way　he　may　have　taken　one　cannot　say；　but　it　must　have
  been　some　time　during　the　night　or　early　morning　that　he　reached
  young　Hepworth's　office　in　Fenchurch　Street。　　Mrs。　Hepworth　had
  evidently　provided　him　with　the　key。
  There　he　seems　to　have　hidden　the　hat　and　mackintosh　and　to　have
  taken　in　exchange　some　clothes　belonging　to　the　murdered　man。
  Hepworth's　clerk；　Ellenby；　an　elderly　manof　the　type　that　one
  generally　describes　as　of　gentlemanly　appearancewas　accustomed　to
  his　master　being　away　unexpectedly　on　business；　which　was　that　of　a
  ships'　furnisher。　　He　always　kept　an　overcoat　and　a　bag　ready　packed
  in　the　office。　　Missing　them；　Ellenby　had　assumed　that　his　master
  had　been　called　away　by　an　early　train。　　He　would　have　been　worried
  after　a　few　days；　but　that　he　had　received　a　telegramas　he　then
  supposed　from　his　masterexplaining　that　young　Hepworth　had　gone　to
  Ireland　and　would　be　away　for　some　days。　　It　was　nothing　unusual　for
  Hepworth　to　be　absent；　superintending　the　furnishing　of　a　ship；　for
  a　fortnight　at　a　time；　and　nothing　had　transpired　in　the　office
  necessitating　special　instructions。　　The　telegram　had　been　handed　in
  at　Charing　Cross；　but　the　time　chosen　had　been　a　busy　period　of　the
  day；　and　no　one　had　any　recollection　of　the　sender。　　Hepworth's
  clerk　unhesitatingly　identified　the　body　as　that　of　his　employer；
  for　whom　it　was　evident　that　he　had　entertained　a　feeling　of
  affection。　　About　Mrs。　Hepworth　he　said　as　little　as　he　could。
  While　she　was　awaiting　her　trial　it　had　been　necessary　for　him　to
  see　her　once　or　twice　with　reference　to　the　business。　　Previous　to
  this；　he　knew　nothing　about　her。
  The　woman's　own　attitude　throughout　the　trial　had　been　quite
  unexplainable。　　Beyond　agreeing　to　a　formal　plea　of　〃Not　guilty；〃
  she　had　made　no　attempt　to　defend　herself。　　What　little　assistance
  her　solicitors　had　obtained　had　been　given　them；　not　by　the　woman
  herself；　but　by　Hepworth's　clerk；　more　for　the　sake　of　his　dead
  master　than　out　of　any　sympathy　towards　the　wife。　　She　herself
  appeared　utterly　indifferent。　　Only　once　had　she　been　betrayed　into
  a　momentary　emotion。　　It　was　when　her　solicitors　were　urging　her
  almost　a