cidence upset her for many days.
It appeared that Dr. Considine, by this time a well known figure in the
county, had gone out one evening rabbit-shooting with his wife. As
they were returning from their expedition down one of the steep slopes
above Lapton Manor, he had slipped in getting over a gate and fallen.
It was the usual type of shooting accident that no one could explain.
The gun had gone off and shot him dead. "He was terribly mutilated
about the head," said Mrs. Payne's informant. She did not know what
had happened to his widow. Probably she had gone to her cousins the
Halbertons. In any case the jury had completely exonerated her.

Mrs. Payne flared up in Gabrielle's defence. "Exonerated?"

"It was well known that they were not on the best of terms," said her
visitor discreetly.

XXI

I do not know what has possessed me since I began to write this story.
I have grown tired of this river, where the trout are always shy, and
more tired than ever of Colonel Hoylake's fishing stories and his
obituary reflections. The place is haunted for me by the tragic image
of Gabrielle Hewish. It is strange that I should be affected by the
loss of a woman whom I have never seen or known. But I feel that I
cannot stay here any longer. Wherever I go in this valley I am
troubled by a feeling of desolation: a curious feeling, as though some
bright thing had fallen--a kingfisher, a dragon-fly.

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TRAGIC BRIDE***

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