"

"Of course I'm sure!" she replied. "Who else? And I made out they were
afraid of my letting out that I'd seen them--it was Sir Gilbert himself
said they could run no risks."

"You've seen him since?" I asked. "He's been in here?"

"No--not since last night," she answered. "And Hollins not since this
morning when he brought me some food--I've not wanted for that," she went
on, with a laugh, pointing to things that had been set on the table.
"And he said, then, that about midnight, tonight, I'd hear the key
turned, and after that I was free to go, but I'd have to make my way home
on foot, for he wasn't wanting me to be in Berwick again too soon."

"Aye!" I said, shaking my head. "I'm beginning to see through some of it!
But, Maisie, you'll be a good girl, and just do what I tell you?--and
that's to stay where you are until I fetch you down. For there's more
dreadfulness below--where Sir Gilbert may be, Heaven knows, but Hollins
is lying murdered on the stair; and if I didn't see him murdered, I saw
him take his last breath!"

She, too, shook a bit at that, and she gripped me tighter.

"You're not by yourself, Hugh?" she asked anxiously. "You're in no
danger?"

But just then Chisholm called up the stair of the turret, asking was Miss
Dunlop safe, and I bade Maisie speak to him.

"That's good news!" said he. "But will you tell Mr. Hugh to come down to
us?--and you'd best stop where you are yourself, Miss Dunlop--there's no
very pleasant sight down this way. Have you no idea at all who did this?"
he asked, as I went down to him. "You were with him?"

"Man alive, I've no more idea than you have!" I exclaimed. "He was making
off somewhere in yon car that's below--he threatened me with the loss of
my life if I didn't agree to let him get away in peace, and he was going
down the stairs to the car when it happened. But I'll tell you this:
Miss Dunlop says Sir Gilbert was here last night!--and it was he and
Hollins imprisoned her above there--frightened she'd let out on them if
she got away."

"Then the Glasgow tale was all lies?" he exclaimed. "It came from
this man, too, that's lying dead--it's been a put-up thing, d'ye
think, Mr. Hugh?"

"It's all part of a put-up thing, Chisholm," said I. "Hadn't we better
get the man in here, and see what's on him? And what made you come here
yourselves?--and are there any more of you about?"

"We came asking some information at the house," he answered, "and we were
passing