se to harm your
husband, nor would I have killed him for Robert's sake, whatever wrong
he might have done me. But, in truth, I know of no reason why I should
seek to injure him."

"If you are an innocent man," persisted Mrs. Scott, "tell us who you are
and what brought you here."

"Yes, tell us who you are!" echoed two others who had always felt
curious about the hermit.

"I do not choose to declare myself now," said the hermit gravely. "The
time may come when I shall do so, but not now."

"That's because you're a thief or murderer!" exclaimed Mrs. Scott,
exasperated.

"Wife, you're goin' too far!" said her husband.

"Mind your own business, Tom Scott!" retorted his wife in a tone with
which he was only too familiar. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself
tryin' to screen the murderer of your next-door neighbor."

"I am doing nothing of the kind. There's no proof that the hermit of the
cliff murdered John Trafton."

"You must be a fool if you can't see it," said Mrs. Scott.

Robert Coverdale was shocked to hear his friend so abused and he said
boldly:

"Mrs. Scott, I don't know who murdered my poor uncle, but I know the
hermit did not. He has been a good friend to me, and he is no
murderer."

"Go home and go to bed, boy!" said Mrs. Scott violently. "You take that
man's part against your poor uncle."

Robert was provoked and answered with energy:

"I would sooner suspect you than him. I never heard the hermit say a
word against my uncle, while only yesterday you called him a drunken
vagabond."

This so turned the tables on Mrs. Scott that she was unable to return to
the attack.

"Well, if I ever!" she ejaculated. "Tom Scott, are you goin' to see your
wife sassed by a boy?"

"It seems to me, wife, that the boy is in the right in this instance,"
answered Tom, who had a sense of justice.

"So you turn against your lawful wife, do you?" exclaimed Mrs. Scott
violently. "I'll come up with you yet. See if I don't."

Tom Scott shrugged his shoulders with resignation.

"I've no doubt you will," he answered with a half smile.

"My friends," said the hermit with calm dignity, "as it appears that
some of you suspect me of this dastardly deed, I am quite willing to
submit to any restraint you may desire till the groundlessness of the
charge appears. You may leave a guard here in the cave or I will
accompany you to any of your own houses. I certainly have no desire to
escape while such suspicions are entertai