The Solitary Farm

ate Captain Huxham adopted the public-house as a kind of St. Paul's Cross, whence to promulgate the grim intelligence. Here he passed a happy and exciting hour detailing all that had happened,

he murder caused a

e had been sown. Huxham, as the rustics argued, could not have got even moderate prices for its crops, so it puzzled one and all why he persisted in his unprofitable venture. But there would be no more sowing at Bleacres now, for the captain himself was about to be put under the

sense of the word. But the inherent respect of the agriculturist for growing crops kept the individual members of the crowd, male and female, to the narrow path which led from the boundary channel to the front door of the Manor-house. When Inspector Inglis arrived with three or fo

nt were questioned, and Tunks was also put in the witness box. But in spite of all official curiosity, backed by official power on the part of Inglis, he convened the jury of the inquest, as ignorant of the truth as when he had begun his search. He certainly found a blood-stained dagger behind the massive mahog

om his lodgings until eleven o'clock on the fatal evening, and had not obeyed the summons of the deceased. Certainly on his return he had found and read the note asking him to call, but as the hour was late, he had deferred the visit until the next morni

en had there been a struggle, as Ward assured her, she would not have heard the commotion. And, as the state of the study showed that the murderer had taken his victim unawares, it was little to be wondered at that Bella woke in ignorance of what had taken place during the night. She was thankful to have the testimony of the young physician as to the drugging, since thereby she was

hould be ignorant. In spite of her desire to believe him guiltless, this conduct looked decidedly suspicious. If nothing serious had taken place between Cyril and her father on the night in question, why had Lister gone away? At least she surmised that he had gone away, as he did not appear to be in the village, and she heard no mention of his name from the many people who haunted the house. Try as she might, Bella, dearly as she loved the young man, could no

the evidence. Inspector Inglis confessed that he had few witnesses, and that there was nothing in the evidence likely to lead to the arrest of the murderer. Robbery, said the officer, was undoubtedly the cause of the crime, since the desk

snapped the gruff Coroner at this point of

question. Witness could not be more precise, he said, a confession which brought a grunt from the Coroner. The old doctor lifted his eye-brows to intimate that the young doctor did not know his business over well, else he woul

ck wood, carved into the semblance of an ugly negro. And the odd part about the blade was that the middle portion of the steel was perforated with queer lett

o your late brother

d all manner of queer things," she said hesitatingly, "but I ne

ever in Africa o

rld, but I can't rightl

l, I fancy some Nigerian tribe possessed it. The members of tribes thereabouts are clever metal-workers. The handle and the lettering also remind me of somethi

rsley promptly. "Jabez, as I say, had all man

if this knife b

. The murderer ma

owing the ugly-looking weapon on the table. "Are you sure,"

de annoyed him. "The weapon is sharp pointed and fits the wound. Also the decease

k with sufficient force

itness. "Have you any mo

ad been stabbed to the heart. "Apparently deceased heard a noise, and rose suddenly from his chair at the desk to face round in sel

contradicted the Coroner

hwith to a bald statement of what he had discovered and t

en o'clock, by the back door, with a note for Mr. Silas Pence from her brother, asking him to call at the Manor-house. She left the note at Mr. Pence's lodgings and then went on to the grocery shop to make some

t?" asked the Coro

eaking to Henry-I mean to Mr. Vand-and not knowing that it was so late I feared lest my brother should be angry. Jabez was always very particu

your brother?"

wish to see him, lest there should be trouble. I w

m moving about," questi

hing was quiet as I passed the doo

the study when at the boundary chann

ouble owing to my being late. But there was no light in the window, so I fancied Jabez mi

er the study door when p

dear me, how very dreadful it all is. Well, then I went to bed, and next morning came down early to clean the study. When I entered I sa

ay that the man was murdered after eight and before eleven. Well then, as this witness reached the house just after t

kerchief to her lips. "How dreadful if I'd l

sharply, "for then you could have given the a

the house at the moment, with only two women, mind, and one of them drugged.

d! What do you m

s. Coppersley. "I've tol

Coroner, "was the

ime, being anxious to esc

if it was locked

d it for Tunks to

his juncture, "but Tunks opened it while

and the back door also. How did the assassin escape? He couldn't have gone by the front door after committin

itness melodramatically, "might h

e Coroner, "for only a small man could scramble

all I know is, that I'm glad I didn't discover Jabez in his gore on tha

in the study when you passed th

pon it, sir, getting through the window, when he'd dropped the knife

e Coroner, testily, "get down and let

he was tired. His grandmother could depose to the fact that he was in bed until the morning. Then he came as usual to the Manor-house, and found that his master was dead. He admitted that

he Coroner. "Had you any reason to believ

is shoulder. He said that he planted the corn so that there should be only one path up to the house. Then he rigged up that out-look rou

r freak on the part of a freakish man. But the remark of the witness about the corn was new. "Do you m

orn don't pay, and there was always o

r ideas," said the Coroner

ad no reason to believe that Captain Huxham expected to be murdered, and considered that the old sailor was more than capable of looking after himself. Witness was very friendly with the Captain and wished to marry Miss Huxham, an arrangem

ing about Cyril's visit on the fatal night. Also she was grateful that in his statement Pence had said nothing of Lister's rivalry. She noted also that Pence had kept quiet about the of

matter, Miss Huxham?" asked the

t all," sh

choed, and the jurymen

ith his terrible death. He refused to let me come to supper, so I retired to my

rders," cried Mrs.

owling; "but surely, Miss Huxh

d Bella, straightening her sl

. "Mrs. Coppersley said something of that

unt, with laudanum," said Bella bravely, determine

went to get the toast. Jabez had poured out the tea when I came back, and givin

r. Ward, rising. "Miss Huxham gave me

rder," he said. "Let us proceed with caution. Miss Huxham, tell

till brave and discreet. "I am engaged to be married, but my father did no

he, if I

gentleman who has b

gossip and collected all the scandal for miles around. In fact he had h

to lock me in my room. She did so. I did not eat the toast, but I drank the tea, and then fell asleep h

heard n

rowled Ward, "when

ply. "What time did you fall under the

ight, so far as

that the tea

s. "It was only next morning that I guessed the truth, and

elf," interrupted the Coroner.

s he feared lest I shoul

any such

I had

nd he cross-examined the girl carefully. When he examined Mrs. Coppersley and Ward, both of them bore out the improbable

nglis," he said, when informed that no more witnesses were forth

re evidence, sir,"

y one verdict could be brought in-"Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown." This was accordingly done, and the assembly dispersed. Only