Miss Silver put down her knitting and took up a pencil.

“I should like those dates, if you please.”

Rachel Treherne gave them as one who has a lesson by heart.

“The first letter, Thursday, August 26th-the second, Thursday, September 2nd-and the third, September 9th, also a Thursday.”

“And the incident of the polished steps?”

“September 11th.”

“A Saturday?”

“Yes, a Saturday.”

Miss Silver entered these particulars.

“And the fire in your room?”

“The following Saturday, September 18th.”

“And the incident of the chocolates?”

“Last Saturday, October 30th.”

Miss Silver wrote that down, then looked up, pencil poised.

“Nothing happened between 18th September and 30th October?”

“No. I was away a good deal. I had no guests-” With a sudden realization of what she had said, a brilliant color flushed her cheeks. She looked beautiful, startled, distressed. “You musn’t think-” she began.

Miss Silver interrupted her.

“My dear Miss Treherne, we must both think-calmly, quietly, and above all dispassionately. No innocent person will be harmed by our doing so. Only guilt need shrink from investigation. Innocence will be vindicated. Pray let us continue. I have here a list of your relatives, written down as you gave them to me-Mr. and Mrs. Wadlow, your brother-in-law and sister. Mr. Maurice and Miss Cherry Wadlow, their son and daughter. Mr. Richard Treherne. Miss Ella Comperton, Mr. Cosmo Frith, and Miss Caroline Ponsonby, all cousins. You have told me that none of these relatives except Mrs. Wadlow was in the house upon the dates on which the anonymous letters were written, posted, or received by you. I should now like you to tell me which of them was staying in the house on September 11th, the day of the polished steps incident.”

The color had left Rachel Treherne’s face again. She said, “They were all there.”