ther the woman is anywhere about."

The detective appeared to follow the suggestion, for he at once
proceeded to a further inspection of the building by the aid of one of
the two lanterns which the groom had by this time brought. And presently
he came back to Max with a bundle in his hand.

Max, by the light of the lantern which the groom was holding for him,
was looking at the face of the dead man, whom he guessed to be one of
Mrs. Higgs's accomplices, perhaps the mysterious person whose influence
over the old woman, according to Carrie, was so bad.

While he was staring intently at the dead face, he heard a stifled cry,
and looking up, saw that Carrie had stolen into the barn behind the
groom, and had her eyes fixed upon the body.

Max sprang up.

"Do you know him? Is it the man who used to get into the place by
night?" asked he, eagerly.

Carrie, without answering, looked from the dead man to the detective,
and from him to the bundle he was carrying.

"Ah!" exclaimed she.

Max looked in his turn. The detective was displaying, one by one, a
woman's skirt, bodice, bonnet, shawl and a cap with a "front" of woman's
hair sewn inside it.

"I think you can guess, sir, what's become of the woman now?" said the
officer, grimly.

Max started violently, shocked by a surprise which, both for the
detective and for Carrie, had been discounted some time ago.

"Mrs. Higgs" was a man.

Even with this knowledge to help him, Max, as he stared again at the
dead face, found it difficult to recognize in the still features those
which in life had inspired him with feelings of repulsion.

Just a quiet, inoffensive, respectable-looking man not coarse or low in
type; this would have been his comment upon the dead man, if he had
known nothing about him. Max shuddered as he withdrew his gaze; and, as
he did so, he met the eyes of Carrie.

He beckoned to her to come away with him, and she followed him as far as
the door, toward which some members of the household, to whom the news
had penetrated, were now hastening.

"Carrie!" cried he, as he looked searchingly in her face, "you knew
this? How long have you known it?"

She could scarcely answer. She was shaking from head to foot, and was
evidently suffering from a great shock.

"Yes, I knew it, but only since I came here. It was part of what Mr.
Dudley Horne let out in his raving."

"Only part of it?" cried Max.

But Carrie would confess nothing more. And, as Mr. Wedmore