“Yes,” said Miss Dupuy, in a low tone; “when Mrs. Markham came upstairs she stopped at my door and said Miss Van Norman wanted me, and I went down immediately.”

“You have been Miss Van Norman’s secretary for some time?”

“For nearly five years.”

“What were your duties?”

“I attended to her social correspondence; helped her with her accounts, both household and personal; read to her, and often did errands and made calls for her.”

“She was kind to you?”

“She was more than kind. She treated me always as her social equal, and as her friend.”

Cicely’s blue eyes filled with tears, and her voice quivered as she spoke this tribute to her employer.