"I'll come down presently," he said, and this apparently satisfied Reid, as he drove the horse at once on toward the stables. Henderson then proceeded to the dining-room, where he found his mother sitting pale and trembling. "Tom," she said, tremulously, and then she paused. "It's adjourned," he answered briefly, and then he went to the sideboard and poured out some spirit, which he eagerly drank, and his mother had not courage to ask him any further questions. She kept looking at him fugitively, her heart filled with the direst apprehensions. She saw him drink more spirit, and then he left the room, going toward the stables with a lowering brow and an angry heart. "Confound the fellow," he muttered, thinking of his groom. He believed that Reid wished him to pay for the evidence he had given at the inquest, and Henderson considered the ten pounds that Reid had already received ample reward. When he reached the stables he found the groom smoking in the yard. Reid went on with his pipe as his master approached him, and this increased Henderson's feeling of anger against him. "Well," he said, addressing the groom sharply, "what do you want?" Then Reid took his pipe out of his mouth and looked straight in Henderson's face. "That was good evidence I gave for ye to-day," he said. "Yes, yes, I am quite ready to acknowledge that," answered Henderson somewhat impatiently. "For a word of mine might have hanged ye, may hang ye yet," continued the groom. "What do you mean?" asked Henderson, turning pale to the very lips. "This," said Reid, emphatically, "that yer hand, and yer hand alone, spilt that poor lass' blood. I've held my tongue, but I saw ye shoot her, and then fling her down the bank." "It's a lie!" faltered Henderson, with his white lips. "It's no lie, but God's truth. I watched ye that night, and followed ye to the ridge above Fern Dene, and heard every word ye spoke, and what the lass said to ye." "I--I was not there." "Yes, ye were there sure enough, master," answered Reid with a scornful laugh. "Poor Elsie carried her father's pistol wi' her to make yer promise to keep yer word, and make her yer lawful wife. She threatened ye, and ye did promise, and then snatched the pistol frae the poor lass's hand. And when she said she wad tell her father and Miss Churchill, yer shot her. It's no good denying it, for I can prove each word I say, and hang ye as easy as hold up my hand." Henderson's tall form absolutely tottered, and he leaned back against the yard pump for support. "You--can prove nothing," he faltered. "Can't I? I saw the moon come out and shine on her dead face, and I heard her curse ye before she died. I saw her blood run over yer hand and stain yer shirt and the coat ye wore. Where is that coat now, master; ye have not worn it since?" And again the groom laughed. Henderson shuddered; this man had stolen the coat then, he thought, and was thus able to produce this damning evidence against him.