CHAPTER VII.
A LITTLE ROYAL "Harry Scorr, private secretary of Hugh Mainwaring," announced the coroner, when Mr.Whitney had resumed his chair.
As the young secretary walked deliberately through the crowded room, there were few who failed to remark his erect, athletic form, his splendid bearing, and especially the striking beauty of his dark face, with its olive tint, clear-cut features, indicative of firmness and strength, and large, piercing eyes, within whose depths, on the present occasion, there seemed to be, half hidden, half revealed, some smouldering fire.

Instantly a half-dozen pencils were transferring to paper his form and features.
"Say, what are you 'doing' him for ?" whispered one reporter to his neighbor.

"He isn't anybody; only the old man's secretary." "Can't help that," replied the other; "he's better looking than the English chap, anyhow; and, in my opinion, the old fellow would have shown better sense to have left him the 'stuff.'" Meanwhile, young Scott, having answered a few preliminary interrogatories, turned slowly, facing Mrs.LaGrange, who was watching him with an intensity of manner and expression as though she would compel him to meet her gaze.
As his glance met hers, a look of inquiry flashed from her eyes to his, accompanied by an expression persuasive, almost appealing.

But the only reply was an ominous flash from the dark eyes, as, with a gesture of proud disdain, he folded his arms and again faced his interlocutor, while, with eyes gleaming with revenge from under their heavily drooping lids and lips that curled from time to time in a smile of bitter malignity, she watched him, listening eagerly for his testimony, losing no word that he said.
The young secretary well understood the character of the enemy with whom he had thus declared war, though he was as yet in ignorance of the weapons she would use against him, but the honeyed words of the little note crushed within his pocket had no power to swerve him for an instant from the course upon which he had determined.
After a few general questions, the coroner said, "Please state when and what was the first intimation received by you of any unusual occurrence." "I was awakened this morning by a woman's scream and heard sounds of confused running in different directions.

A few moments later Mr.
Whitney came to my room and informed me of what had occurred, and I then went with him to the private rooms of Mr.Mainwaring." "You were associated with Mr.Mainwaring yesterday during the greater part of the day and evening, were you not ?" "I was during the day, but I did not see him after dinner until late at night." "Did you notice anything unusual in his appearance at any time yesterday ?" "He appeared rather depressed for about an hour after luncheon, during the execution of the will." "Did you know any cause for such depression ?" "I attributed it, in my own mind, to the conversation at luncheon, to which Mr.Whitney has referred." "Regarding one Richard Hobson ?" "Yes, sir." "Do you know what, if any, relations existed between Mr.Mainwaring and this Hobson ?" The black plumes of Mrs.LaGrange's fan suddenly quivered, her cheek paled, and her breath came and went quickly, but these were the only signs of agitation which she betrayed, as Scott replied,-- "I have no knowledge as to what relations existed between them of late.