; and with Sir Frank he
carried the heavy body of the widow into her bedroom. "How did it
happen?"

"That is my business," said Painter, who had followed, and who was now
filled with importance. "You look after the body, sir, and I'll question
these gentlemen and the servant."

"Servant yourself! Such sauce!" muttered Jane, with an angry toss of her
cap at the daring young policeman. "I know nothing. I left my mistress
in the parlor writing letters, and never heard anyone come in. The bell
didn't sound anyhow. The first thing I knew that anything was wrong was
on hearing the screams. When I looked into the parlor the candles and
the lamp were out, and there was a struggle going on in the dark. Then
I cried out, very naturally, I'm sure, and ran straight into the arms of
these gentlemen, as soon as I could get the front door open."

After delivering this address, Jane was called away to assist the doctor
in the bedroom, and along with Archie and Random the constable repaired
to the pink parlor to hear what they had to say. Of course they could
tell him even less than Jane had told, and Archie protested that he was
quite unable to describe the man who had dashed out of the window.

"Ah," said Painter sapiently, "he got out there; but how did he enter?"

"No doubt by the door," said Random sharply.

"We don't know that, sir. Jane says she did not hear the bell."

"Mrs. Jasher might have let the man in, whomsoever he was, secretly."

"Why should she, sir?"

"Ah! now you are asking more than I can tell you. Only Mrs. Jasher can
explain, and it seems to me that she will die."

Meanwhile, in some mysterious way the news of the crime had spread
through the village, and although it was growing late--for it was past
ten o'clock--a dozen or so of villagers came along. Also there arrived
a number of soldiers under a smart sergeant, and to him Sir Frank
explained what had happened. In the fainthearted way--for the mist was
now like cotton-wool--the military and the civilians hunted through the
marshes round the cottage, hoping to come across the assassin hiding
in a ditch. Needless to say, they found no one and nothing, for it was
worse than looking for a needle in a bundle of hay. The man had come out
of the mist, and, after executing the deed, had vanished into the mist,
and there was not the very slightest chance of finding him. Gradually,
as it drew towards midnight, the soldiers went back to the Fort, and the
village