She'd been imposed on Mr. Casti and his
wife as a respectable character, and she was causing trouble between
them. She had to be got rid of somehow, and this was one step to
it."
"Was Mrs. Casti aware of your intention to take this step?"
"No, she wasn't."
"But you told her when you had done it?"
"Yes, I did."
The frankness of all this had its effect, of course. The case was
attracting much interest in court, and the public seats were quite
full. Mrs. Sprowl looked round in evident enjoyment of her position.
There was a slight pause, and then the examination continued.
"Of what nature was the trouble you speak of, caused by the prisoner
between this lady and her husband?"
"Mr. Casti began to pay a good deal too much attention to her."
There was a sound of whispers and a murmuring.
"Did Mrs. Casti impart to you her suspicions of the prisoner as soon
as she missed the first of these articles alleged to be stolen?"
"Yes, she did."
"And did you give any advice as to how she should proceed?"
"I told her to be on the look-out."
"No doubt you laid stress on the advantage, from a domestic point of
view, of securing this prisoner's detection?"
"Certainly I did, and I hoped and prayed as she might caught!"
Mrs.
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