The Solitary Farm

urse of people from far and near to assist at the funeral of one who had been so mysteriously murdered. So greatly had the strangeness of the deed appealed to the imagination of metrop

descriptions of the ancient Manor-house amidst its corn-fields, and w

by stealth. But as it turned out it was just as well that he had done so, as thereby she was able to prove that she knew nothing of the crime, even though she was alone in the house. Then again, there was the other side of the question to take-that if Huxham had not administered the laudanum he might have been al

s. This was somewhat difficult, as the captain had few engaging qualities. But Bella recalled that he had been kind in a gruff sort of way and had never grudged her the best of food and the gaudiest of frocks. Huxham had been one of those so

and stately, was decorated as beautifully as was the study, and required the most exquisite furniture to enhance its faded splendours. But Mrs. Coppersley had bought a magenta-hued sofa and many magenta-covered chairs, together with a cheap sideboard, so sticky as to look like a fly catcher, and two arm chairs of emerald green. The inlaid floor she had covered with lineoleum, diapered white and black, and her artistic taste had led

lemn tolling of the bell. But after a time she dropped the book on her lap and leaned back to close her eyes and reflect on her grave position. If only she had not seen Cyril on that night she could have married in ignorance that he had anything to do with the death of her father; but, enlightened as she was,

united in a weird appeal to her psychic instincts, to those mysterious senses which deal with the unseen. In the arm-chair she sat with closed eyes strung up to breaking-point, and felt that if the psychic influence which seemed to control her became mo

o her feet. The hall door, she knew, had been left open since the coffin had been carried down the path between the standing

thin high-pitched scream the footsteps had ceased for a moment, as though the intruder was listening. Now they recommenced and drew near the outside of the door. Unable to utter a sound Bella

erself into her lover's arms. Then a gruesome memory of that sinister visit made her falter

aid softly. "Oh

His white-clothed figure accentuated the twilight of the room, which now looked brown and grim. Considering that her father was dead and even now was being laid in an untim

eer surprise. "Bella, dar

ed, retreating towards the chai

. "Bella, dearest, I would have come but that I have been abroad

ation and shivered.

nk away. "On the afternoon when you

's not true. How c

faint light she could see that he looked thor

ny longer, and she sank into the chair.

. "I went to the funeral, but finding you we

to the funeral?"

though we quarrelled, he was your fa

can say this to me-

is cold, dull room have unnerved you," he said after a pause.

now, you u

rstand what?" he

he inquest. I held m

anced and seized her wrists in no gentle g

ake me crazy," she said

r. No"-he grasped her wrists tighter as she st

t shrilly, "will y

back a pace. "Murder you also?" he repeated.

her. Yo

d he, as the word

hands helplessly-"I

oice became impatien

ter the house

ter this h

ather was murdered

s the next morning. I never heard of the murder, as I saw no newspapers. When I returned last night I read the account of the

t seem to comprehend that she was accusing him of having committed a dastardly crime. Her heart

at, in heaven's nam

he-murder,"

ely could believe his ea

she sobbed, "I

me of murderin

nded to come down, thinking you and my father might quarrel, but I drank the tea-you must have seen about the tea at the inquest-that is, in the report give

d fell helplessly into a near chair. "You accu

you looked up-you wore the grey clothes, as you ha

must have been drea

d the house without making any sign of recognition. Then I fell asleep, and-and-oh,-my dear"-she flung herself down at his feet and seized his hand

o her agitated face. "I am losing my reason.

u did not. Ah, neve

enly as to let her fall, "and if you believ

t her hands, as he strode towards the door. "

s necessary for his own peace of mind, as for Bella's, to probe the mystery to the bottom. On the impulse of the moment he walked back, and lifting her, placed her again in the arm-chair. Then he knelt b

ms round his neck, "I only fancied,

elieve in my innocence in the face

n eyes," s

ertainly is puzzlin

ore I drunk the tea," she prot

es were qu

t you had come to try and induce my

the young man. "I wa

sure? are

found a letter referring to the thousand pounds I wished to borrow. I had to see the friend who was willing to lend it to me on that night. I therefore went to London by the six o'clock train. My landlady can prove that I le

s, for m

, and I arranged to follow. I went to the theatre, and to dinner with two friends of mine, and did not leave them until one in the morning, when I returned to my hotel. The murder took place at eleven, or between eight and eleven, so I can easily

l! Don't be

who doubts me? Besides, robbery was the motive for the commissio

r believed,

hat?" he a

nted a thou

tunately, I understood, from your aunt's evidence at the inquest, that only one hundred

murdered my father," cr

he retorted cuttingly;

mpletely innocent, and trying woman-like to recover her position. "But, C

ur believing me to be g

head. "I can see that

seen it before,"

play the powerful weapon of sex. "You give me no opportunity of de

give you the opportunity

e house," she repea

sible," he rej

the use of saying that? It was not you, since I

r hands, and looked deep into h

man was not you, he mus

so like

l, that I leaned out of the window and sp

did

ver believed for one moment that it was not you, and resolved to clamber out of the window to be present

the man

just as you wore

aw the

ker at the time. But I could have sworn it was your face. Wou

moustache. His face had grown pale, and he look

en him in broad daylight I might have recognised my mi

n't be absurd. I have an idea that--" he mad

ou leave me? W

dly pale, and walked abruptly out of the dim room.