CHAPTER II.
CONFLICTING CLUES.Once the young man opened his lips to reply to the question, but he changed his mind, evidently, and remained silent for a time.
“Give me time to think,” he said, after a pause. “I don’t seem to remember.”
“Did you come up here before your mother and Mr. Maynard came up for the night?”
“Oh, yes; I heard them come up and go to their rooms.”
“Did they engage in conversation?”
“They did not,” was the hesitating reply. “To tell the truth, they were not on good terms with each other last night. That makes this affair all the more terrible for mother.”
“Do you know the nature of their quarrel?”
“I do not.”
“Did you leave your room for any purpose after they came up here?”
“I did not.”
“Until when?”
“This morning.”
“Then you went to Mr. Maynard’s room?”
