uple of sacks. John cracked
the whip and strode along by the side of the horses. Blanche Moyat and
I followed behind.

She was unusually silent, and once or twice I caught her glancing
curiously at me, as though she had something which it was in her mind to
say, but needed encouragement. As we neared my cottage she asked me a
question.

"Why don't you want me to say that I saw this man in the village last
night, and that he asked for you, Mr. Ducaine? I can't understand what
difference it makes. He may have spoken to others besides me, and then
it is bound to be known. What harm can it do you?"

"I cannot explain how I feel about it," I answered. "I am not sure that
I know myself. Only you must see that if it were known that he set out
from the village last night to call upon me, people might say unpleasant
things."

She lowered her voice.

"You mean--that they might suspect you of killing him?"

"Why not? Nobody knows much about me here, and it would seem
suspicious. It was I who found him, and only a few hundred yards from
my cottage. If it were known that he had left the village last night to
see me, don't you think that it would occur to any one to wonder if we
had met--and quarrelled? There could be no proof, of course, but the
mere suggestion is unpleasant enough." We were in the middle of the open
road, and the wagon was several yards in front. Nevertheless she drew a
little closer to me, and almost whispered in my ear--

"Do you know who he is, what he wanted to see you about?"

"I have no idea," I answered. "I am quite sure that I never saw him
before in my life."

"Did you see him last night?" she asked.

"Not to speak to," I answered. "I did catch just a glimpse of him, I
believe, in rather a strange way. But that was all."

"What do you mean

"I saw him looking in through my window, but he came no nearer. Lady
Angela and Colonel Ray were in the room."

"In your room?"

"Yes. Colonel Ray called to say that he was sorry to have spoilt my
lecture."

"And Lady Angela?"

"Yes."

"She came in too?"

The girl's open-mouthed curiosity irritated me.

"I happened to be ill when Colonel Ray came. They were both very kind
to me."

"This man, then," she continued, "he looked in and went away?"

"I suppose so," I answered. "I saw no more of him."

She turned towards me breathlessly.

"I don't see how a fall could have killed him, or how he could have
wandered off into the marshes just ther