On one of the corners thus made, stood the Webb house, with its front door on the main street and its side door on one of the hillside lanes. As the group of men and boys who had b

rom the darkness and paused on the outskirts of the crowd that was blocking up every entrance t

enter, some one pluc

spered a voice

n upper window. It hung limp, and the sight made him si

cried. "That's

as well as her mistress. We left her whe

mured Mr. Sutherland. "Has

he saw leaning against him the form of a young woman, but before he could address he

guardian at the main gateway. "Some of the sailors' wives who had been to the wharves to see their husbands off on the ship that sailed at daybr

Mrs.

in and

gedy. In this fence was a gate, and through this gate now passed Mr. Sutherland, followed by his would-be companion, Miss Page. A path bordered by lilac bushes led up to

d business, a very sad business! B

my housekeeper's n

he cause. I do no

lf," he said respectfully, in recognition of the fact that nothing of importanc

iration. But he did not reconsider his determination. Seeing this, she accepted her defeat gracefully, and moved aside to where the

d, who at sight of him doffed his hat. Passing by this man, Mr. Sutherland entered the room beyond. A table spread with eatables met h

room and in such a position, he was about

he house a half-hour ago he was sitting just as you see him now, and we have let him be for

es he sit crouched against

ok at h

e the long grey locks that half concea

rtled, "they are clo

e is a

lee

me of the neighbours wanted to wake him, but I would not let

re while she-But what do these bottles mean and this parad

lowed a glass of port, but that is all. The other glasses h

d only one occupied," m

ld he have ex

wed him such privileges; but she was always too goo

ort of the worship it was, he stood in too much awe of her to

turned the other. "You have not noticed e

him. With the exception of the table and what was on and by it there was

g but this poor slee

t his s

friend lay crooked upon the table, and on its blue cotton sleeve

turned slightly pale and looked inquiringly a

e. "Any other marks o

one smea

n deep emotion. Then, as he looked long and

But that he understood what was done there I cannot believe, or h

d the staircase. Mr. Sutherland followed him, and they at once proceeded to the

ld-fashioned lounge opposite the door was far from being in accord with the homely type of her surroundings. Though the victim of a violent death, her face and form, both of a beauty seldom to be fou

made some mistake, my f

his eyes fell on the blood which ha

here is the weapon which ha

pointing to two or three drops of blood on its smooth surface. "The weapon we ha

e-sided

es

ch a thing in town. Philemo

tell. Simple cottages like these often

agger being among its

the body of Mrs. Webb l

ow. Nothing has bee

s lounge, in the same posit

s,

rossed, eyes closed, as though made ready for her burial.

n; that is what i

ese evidences of a crazy man's work. Philemon Webb always seemed so

and, suddenly rousing,

sy hanging from a w

other room; but there

she kille

doctors mu

e attracted by the body of the woman he had seen from below, lying half in and half out of the open window. That she was dead was evide

st I have ever had anything to do with. Help me to lift the wom

e came uppermost both gentlemen started and looked at each other in amazement. The expression of terror and alar