CHAPTER XXXV.
SUICIDE OR MURDER?
"At first there was only talk of a terrible accident, the result of some inexplicable carelessness which perhaps the evidence at the inquest would help to elucidate.
"Medical assistance came too late; the unfortunate woman was indeed dead, frozen to death, inside her own room.

Further examination showed that she had received a severe blow at the back of the head, which must have stunned her and caused her to fall, helpless, beside the open window.

Temperature at five degrees below zero had done the rest.
Detective Inspector Howell discovered close to the window a wrought-iron gas bracket, the height of which corresponded exactly with the bruise at the back of Mrs.Owen's head.
"Hardly however had a couple of days elapsed when public curiosity was whetted by a few startling headlines, such as the halfpenny evening papers alone know how to concoct.
"'The mysterious death in Percy Street.' 'Is it Suicide or Murder ?' 'Thrilling details--Strange developments.' 'Sensational Arrest.' "What had happened was simply this: "At the inquest a few certainly very curious facts connected with Mrs.
Owen's life had come to light, and this had led to the apprehension of a young man of very respectable parentage on a charge of being concerned in the tragic death of the unfortunate caretaker.
"To begin with, it happened that her life, which in an ordinary way should have been very monotonous and regular, seemed, at any rate latterly, to have been more than usually chequered and excited.

Every witness who had known her in the past concurred in the statement that since October last a great change had come over the worthy and honest woman.
"I happen to have a photo of Mrs.Owen as she was before this great change occurred in her quiet and uneventful life, and which led, as far as the poor soul was concerned, to such disastrous results.
"Here she is to the life," added the funny creature, placing the photo before Polly--"as respectable, as stodgy, as uninteresting as it is well possible for a member of your charming sex to be; not a face, you will admit, to lead any youngster to temptation or to induce him to commit a crime.
"Nevertheless one day all the tenants of the Rubens Studios were surprised and shocked to see Mrs.Owen, quiet, respectable Mrs.Owen, sallying forth at six o'clock in the afternoon, attired in an extravagant bonnet and a cloak trimmed with imitation astrakhan which--slightly open in front--displayed a gold locket and chain of astonishing proportions.
"Many were the comments, the hints, the bits of sarcasm levelled at the worthy woman by the frivolous confraternity of the brush.
"The plot thickened when from that day forth a complete change came over the worthy caretaker of the Rubens Studios.

While she appeared day after day before the astonished gaze of the tenants and the scandalized looks of the neighbours, attired in new and extravagant dresses, her work was hopelessly neglected, and she was always 'out' when wanted.
"There was, of course, much talk and comment in various parts of the Rubens Studios on the subject of Mrs.Owen's 'dissipations.' The tenants began to put two and two together, and after a very little while the general consensus of opinion became firmly established that the honest caretaker's demoralisation coincided week for week, almost day for day, with young Greenhill's establishment in No.