The Murder at Jex Farm

rposed, it was difficult to see how three pistol shots fired less than forty yards away should not be audible by the inmates of the room. Was Mrs. Jex hard of hearing? I asked. She was not, she declared. Had she heard positively nothing? Nothing but the roaring of the wind in the chimney and every now and then the rattling of the windows. Was she absorbed in reading or talk? No, she was knitting by the fireside. Miss Lewsome had been writing at the table all the evening. From time to time she had talked with Miss Lewsome who had remained with her in the room from before sundown till supper time.

I then examined Miss Lewsome by herself as I had already examined Mrs. Jex. She corroborated what that lady had said. The wind was loud that night, said Miss Lewsome. It rattled the windows and made a great noise in the chimney. She was writing all the evening, she said. "Forgive my curiosity," I said, "was it something that took up your attention and would have prevented your hearing a noise outside?" She hesi