You had heard the shot, and you had at once come down." "I put on my dressing gown and then came down." "How long was it after hearing the shot that you were stopped on the stair by Mr.Barker ?" "It may have been a couple of minutes.

It is so hard to reckon time at such a moment.

He implored me not to go on.

He assured me that I could do nothing.

Then Mrs.Allen, the housekeeper, led me upstairs again.