ly enquiringly, but not a few angrily,
for Kelly, as I have said before, had made himself particularly
obnoxious just then by his behaviour to the rowdier students; and, as
has ever been the case at K., these formed no small portion of the
community.

"The Dean hardly seemed to realize the situation. The dignity of office
blinded him to danger.

"'What do you mean?' he spluttered. 'I know nothing of what happened to
Mr. Anderson! Really, really, O'Farroll, your presumption is
preposterous.'

"'There was no one else in here but you and he, Mr. Kelly,' O'Farroll
retorted coolly. 'It's only natural we should think you know something
of what happened!'

"On the arrival of the police who had been sent for somewhat
reluctantly--for the prestige of the College at that date was very dear
to all--the premises were thoroughly searched, and, no other culprit
being found, first of all Dean Kelly was apprehended, and then, to make
a good job of it, his accuser, Denis O'Farroll.

"All the College was agog with excitement. No one could believe the Dean
was a murderer; and it was just as inconceivable to think O'Farroll had
committed the deed. And yet if neither of them had killed Anderson, who
in God's name had killed him?

"The night succeeding the affair, whilst the Dean and O'Farroll were
still in jail awaiting the inquest, a party of undergraduates were
discussing the situation in Maguire's rooms, when the door burst open,
and into their midst, almost breathless with excitement, came a measly,
bespectacled youth named Brady--Patrick Brady.

"'I'm awfully sorry to disturb you fellows,' he stammered, 'but there
have been odd noises just outside my room all the evening, and I've just
seen a queer kind of dog, that vanished, God knows how. I--I--well, you
will call me an ass, of course, but I'm afraid to stay there alone, and
that's the long and short of it.'

"'Begorra!' Maguire exclaimed, 'it can't be poor Bob's ghost already!
What sort of noises were they?'

"'Noises like laughter!' Brady said. 'Loud peals of horrid laughter.'

"'Someone trying to frighten you,' one of the undergrads observed, 'and
faith, he succeeded. You are twice as white as any sheet.'

"'It's ill-timed mirth, anyhow,' someone else put in, 'with Anderson's
dead body upstairs. I'm for making an example of the blackguard.'

"'And I,'--'And I,' the others echoed.

"A general movement followed, and headed by Brady the procession moved
to the north