How to explain these?
As to the cries, I was in no difficulty; since she was alone in her room these could result from nightmare only.

My explanation of the struggle and noise that were heard is simply that in her nightmare she was haunted by the terrible experience she had passed through in the afternoon.

In her dream she sees the murderer about to spring upon her and she cries, 'Help! Murder!' Her hand wildly seeks the revolver she had placed within her reach on the night-table by the side of her bed, but her hand, striking the table, overturns it, and the revolver, falling to the floor, discharges itself, the bullet lodging in the ceiling.

I knew from the first that the bullet in the ceiling must have resulted from an accident.

Its very position suggested an accident to my mind, and so fell in with my theory of a nightmare.