But when the officer wanted Miss Tuttle to go up and see
if it was there, she shook her head and made for the front door,
saying that she must be taken directly to her sister."
"And did no one go up? Was no attempt made to see if the pistol
was or was not in the drawer?"
"Yes; the officer went up with me. I pointed out the place where
it was kept, and he rummaged all through it, but found no pistol.
I didn't expect him to -" Here the witness paused and bit her lip,
adding confusedly: "Mrs. Jeffrey had taken it, you see."
The jurors, who sat very much in the shadow, had up to this point
attracted but little attention. But now they began to make their
presence felt, perhaps because the break in the witness' words had
been accompanied by a sly look at Jinny. Possibly warned by this
that something lay back of this hitherto timid witness' sudden
volubility, one of them now spoke up.
"In what room did you say this pistol was kept?"
"In Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey's bed-room, sir; the room opening out of
the sitting-room where Mrs. Jeffrey had kept herself shut up all
day."
"Does this bed-room of which you speak communicate with the hall as
well as with the sitting room ?"
"No, sir; it is the defect of the house. Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey often
spoke of it as a great annoyance.
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