For when a week or more has elapsed, and these same people have been examined and cross-examined in private by the police, their impressions have had time to become blurred and hopelessly confused.

On that last occasion but one there seems no doubt that several people, at any rate two women and one man, actually saw the murderer hurrying from the scene of his atrocious double crime--this being so, to-day's investigation may be of the highest value and importance.

To-morrow I hope to give an account of the impression made on me by the inquest, and by any statements made during its course." Even when her husband had come in with the tray Mrs.Bunting had gone on reading, only lifting up her eyes for a moment.

At last he said rather crossly, "Put down that paper, Ellen, this minute! The omelette I've cooked for you will be just like leather if you don't eat it." But once his wife had eaten her breakfast--and, to Bunting's mortification, she left more than half the nice omelette untouched -- she took the paper up again.

She turned over the big sheets, until she found, at the foot of one of the ten columns devoted to The Avenger and his crimes, the information she wanted, and then uttered an exclamation under her breath.
What Mrs.Bunting had been looking for--what at last she had found -- was the time and place of the inquest which was to be held that day.