"
"How do you account for that spot and the slight injury made to her
finger? Should you not say that the ring had been dragged from her
hand?"
"I should."
"By whom was it dragged? By you?"
"No, sir."
"By herself, then?"
"It would seem so."
"Much passion must have been in that act. Do you think that any
ordinary quarrel between husband and wife would account for the
display of such fury? Are we not right in supposing a deeper cause
for the disturbance between you than the slight one you offer in
way of explanation?"
An inaudible answer; then a sudden straightening of Francis Jeffrey's
fine figure. And that was all.
"Mr. Jeffrey, in the talk you had with your wife on Tuesday morning
was Miss Tuttle's name introduced?"
"It was mentioned; yes, sir."
"With recrimination or any display of passion on the part of your
wife?"
"You would not believe me if I said no," was the unexpected rejoinder.
The coroner, taken aback by this direct attack from one who had
hitherto borne all his innuendoes with apparent patience, lost
countenance for a moment, but, remembering that in his official
capacity he was more than a match for the elegant gentleman, who
under other circumstances would have found it only too easy to put
him to the blush, he observed with dignity:
"Mr.
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