off
in that condition when he had to cross the Coupee?"

"I've seen him worse, many times, and no harm come to him."

"Well, get on!"

He told how Mrs. Tom woke him up in the morning, and how they had all
gone in search of the missing man.

"Was it you that found him?"

"No, it was Charles Guille of Clos Bourel. But I found something too."

"What was it?"

"This"--and from under his coat he drew out carefully the white stone
with its red-brown spots, and from his pocket the button and the scrap
of blue cloth. And those at the back stood up, with much noise, to see.

The men at the table looked at these scraps of possible evidence with
interest, as they were placed before them.

"Where did you find these things?"

"Between Plaisance and the Coupee."

"What do you make of them?"

"Seemed to me those red spots might be blood. The other's a button torn
off some one's coat."

"Have you any idea whose blood and whose coat?"

"The blood I don't know. The button, I believe, is off Mr. Gard's
coat,"--at which another growl and hum went round.

"And you know nothing more about the matter?"

"That's all I know."

"Very well. Sit down. Mr. Gard!" and Gard pushed his way among
unyielding legs and shoulders, and stood before the grave-faced men at
the table.

They all knew him and had all come to esteem what they knew of him. They
knew also of his difficulties with his men, and that there was a certain
feeling against him in some quarters. Not one of them thought it likely
he had done this dreadful thing. But--there was no knowing to what
lengths even a decent man might go in anger. All their brows pinched a
little at sight of his torn coat and missing button.

He was duly sworn, and the Senechal bade him tell all he knew of the
matter.

"That button is mine," he said quietly, holding out the lapel of his
coat for all to see. "If there is blood on that stone it is mine
also"--at which a growling laugh of derision went round the spectators.

Gard flushed at this unmistakable sign of hostility. The Senechal
threatened to turn them all out if anything of the kind happened again,
and Gard proceeded to recount in minutest detail the happenings of the
previous night--so far as they concerned himself and Tom Hamon.

"What were you doing down at the Coupee at that time of night?" asked
the Senechal.

"I had been having a smoke and was just about to turn in when I met Miss
Hamon hurrying to the Doctor's for some