"'Exactly,' assented Inspector Jealous; 'but it is usual, you know, to deny such charges, and the authority to decide which side is right is not vested in me. There is not only the charge of attempted suicide, but there is that bundle that was thrown into the river. I am very sorry, but----'
"He did not finish the sentence, but there was no misunderstanding his meaning.
"'You must submit,' said our reporter to the woman, and then turned to Inspector Jealous. 'I may have a few private words with her, I suppose, out of hearing of the officers present?'
"'Certainly,' replied Inspector Jealous, 'after I have entered the charge; and although I shall be compelled to detain her here, I promise to make her as comfortable as possible for the night.'
"'Thank you,' said our reporter; 'I was about to ask you to do so.'
"Only one charge was entered in the book, that of attempted suicide, the constable's suspicions as to the bundle the woman threw into the river being deemed of too vague a nature to frame an accusation upon.
"'Your name?' asked the Inspector of the woman.
"At this question she was seized with a sudden trembling; her white face grew whiter; her hands wandered feebly, aimlessly around, and had it not been for the support afforded her by our reporter, who held her up, she might have fallen insensible to the ground.
"'Do not give way,' he whispered, 'think of your daughter.'"
"These words strengthened her, and she drew herself up.
"'Your name?' again asked Inspector Jealous.
"'Mrs. Weston,' she replied, with a certain hesitation, and a sudden color in her face.
"'Mary,' said the woman, with a similar exhibition of unreadiness and confusion.
"'Mary Weston,' said Inspector Jealous. The equivocal signs were not lost upon him, but he made no comment. 'Married?'
"Inspector Jealous merely nodded, and entered her reply in the book.
"'I will not tell you. You cannot compel me.' No defiance was expressed in her tone; it was imploring and appealing.
"'No,' said Inspector Jealous, 'we cannot compel you.'
"Then she was taken away to be searched, the report being that she had no property of any kind upon her person; 'not even a handkerchief,' was the remark.
"'That is all,' said Inspector Jealous to our reporter. 'She will be brought up to-morrow morning. If you are going to appear for her, eleven o'clock will be early enough.'