The Black Patch

ced woman who made the outcry. The Coroner blinked furiously, and nursed his chin in his hand, considering what to say and what to do. F

Mrs. Snow calmly, but her bosom heaved impa

ked the Coro

trike down two bir

strike down one bird with two stones. I understand that you say the man w

he black patch, Dr. Arne: and you know

said Dr. Arne musingly, "which m

Snow quietly; "at least I remember that. I was no

y, and a trifle rudely. "All this is not

e witness, who had been listening eagerly t

an, seeing that the night

fact that on the same night she had met Vivian under the Witches' Oak. It was not pertinent to the case, she thought. Moreo

n?" asked the Coron

e op

had the key

he ring to which the others wer

y of the smaller g

large gate," said he, "I found in the lock

losed the large gate after him,

he met you he was too startled to take it out of the lock.--And t

the wall of the co

d it under the Witches' Oak. He must have replaced it in the counting-house himself, when he was inside. He had also left the handkerch

ss Hedge?" he rema

girl faintly; "the whole a

xcuse, which was feasible enough. "I shan't keep you muc

ld you: th

when you spoke last--Mr. Inspector, why

profuse apologies, lai

"but here it is. As you will see, Mr. Alpenn

find the note

s the light was out in the counting-house, and the note e

hen you found the body"--he spoke to Du

old-fashioned dress; "but when I found the body, it was clo

a h

as on the

em that he was struck down, just as he was going up to

f-past ten to Brighton; and he could have caught a late one on the main

station," said Dr. Arne. "Could an old

emphatically; "he had a wonderfu

Herman from his seat, and was r

He pointed out that, on the evidence before them, they could n

ered Colonel Hall

apparently was about to start on his journey, after leaving the note for Miss Hedge, and probably was turning over some necessary papers, when he was struck down. Regarding the locked door, I can offer no expla

patch. This last remark was rather irregular; but, to say the truth, everyone was so puzzled over the aspect of the case that no one had any very clear idea of what to say or do. However, the verdict--such as it was--resolved itself into the terms above stated, and the ju

re walking along the lane towards The Camp; "master will

t of my head," said Beatrice, with a shud

the half-caste stolidly; "yo

did you sp

d Durban sullenly; "the lea

he replaced key and the handkerchief in her pocket

--that is, I cannot la

it was

nd dangerous people: I don't wonder he was killed. And," cried the half-caste, stopp

hy, in Hea

a bad man, and came to a deserved end. I did not kill him, you did not kill him, so we had better think n

never," cried Beatrice bitterly, and l

e love

," she broke off in her turn, "I want

looking profoundly surprised; "he is p

commit a crime?" asked Miss Hedge f

h great assurance. "Wha

penny s

thing, to gain his ends," he said quietly. "He did not wish you to marry Mr

Do you know

a wicked man he is. If he comes to marry you,

that I shall s

ubtfully; "the Major won't let you slip

o know much that yo

but it is useless

Colonel Hall's

about that, missy," he said coldly. "Get the mone

eatrice, wondering at his nervous looks. "Did

rrupted Durban, gloomily; "it mig

men who wear black p

y, I know much, and yet I know nothing which it would do any good for you to hear. I have watched over you in the past, and I shall watch over you in the f

eak in

for me," said Durban moodily; and Beatrice,

at the assassin was the same as he who had killed Colonel Hall, which would put Vivian's innocence beyond a doubt. In spite of her desire to obey Durban to whom she owed so much, Beatrice had

ered the man, "but

e, for my peace

ind, missy?" he

elieve--no, I don't: but I fancy, that is. Durban"--she caught the man's sho

is eyes sparkled. "No! no! One thousan

rchief, told Durban the whole of what had happened. "And I am t

they had stopped and The Camp itself. Once there, Durban took her to the parlour-carriage and went away. He returned with some orange-b

, "I have been, and I am

w you are," she

ons until I voluntarily tell you all that it is needful you should know. With regard to Mr. Paslow, you can set your mind at

you s

en I went in to get that letter which I was to take to

id you

in, to see if you had got home safely. He told me that he possessed the key of the small gate, which you had dropped, and gave it to me. I replace

ved to find that Vivian had not been so

the will," said Durban steadily. "He wanted to see you;

one me good," protested the poor girl

uspected him, I should have spoken before: but you never mentioned his name, so I deemed it best to be silent. But he is perfectly innocen

ere an

are surrounded by scoundrels. But if you get the money--and master swore

what,

y. "There! there, missy, ask no more questions. Some day your foolish, old, silly Durban will make things plain. Jus

s set at rest regarding the honesty of Vivian; and she thought it best to take the old servant's advice, and possess her soul in patience until such time as he chose to tell her the truth, whatever that might be. But i

At once she put on her dressing-gown and opened the door. Vivian, looking weary a

. All the money--quite twenty thousand a yea

atrice, opening the doo

anged to his usual green pall

He paused, and then spat on the ground. "Cur