ere any lights in the house?" he was asked.

"Yes, there was a light, a small one, in the front room of the first
floor. I could see it through the blinds."

"Could you distinguish the loud words you heard?"

"No, I could not. I tried to, but as they were spoken in the house they
did not reach me."

"Did you hear any sounds that would indicate that a scuffle was in
progress?"

"No; I listened for them because I thought there was a fight."

"Did you hear any loud words before the man from the buggy entered?"

"No, I didn't; but I was a long way from the house then."

"Did you see the man's face?"

"He ran up the stairs in too much of a hurry for me to get a glimpse of
him. He appeared to be in a terrible hurry."

"Did he speak to the man in the buggy before the latter drove away?"

"I think not."

"Do you remember whether he knocked for admission?"

"I don't believe he did. He had scarcely reached the landing when I
heard the bolt of the door fly back and then it opened, and he went in."

"And you heard the loud words directly afterward?"

"Yes; just as soon as the door closed."

"How was the man dressed?"

"My impression is that he had on a long overcoat, which was of a brown
color, but I wouldn't be sure of it."

"Did he have a box or parcel in his hand?"

"I am not sure. He went up-stairs so fast that I couldn't see much of
him."

"Was he tall?"

"Yes; and I think quite straight and well built."

"What sort of a horse was attached to the buggy?"

"I think it was a light sorrel with a white face. I am sure about the
white face."

"Was it a top buggy?"

"Yes."

"Did you notice the man in it?"

"Not very much, because he went away so fast."

"Did you see how he was dressed?"

"I could only see that he had on a slouch hat. I thought it was a little
funny that they should be going up to the front door, because I had
always noticed that the people who lived around there went in the back
way."

Mertes had said nothing of this experience until he fell in with a party
of friends who were discussing the discovery in the cottage. Then he
added the startling incident of his night trip to the corner grocers,
when he was probably the only man besides the murderers who heard the
physician's death struggles. The authorities arrived at the conclusion
that the loud voices that had startled him were made by the murderers as
they fell on their victim, and that the doctor had been attacked the
inst