"You are very rapidly weaving a rope for the man's neck," observed Hendle dryly. "After all, we are taking a great deal for granted." "Well, sir, all you have to do is to ask Mr. Carrington to explain." "Humph! That will be awkward, considering we are declared enemies. However, we shall see. I think it will be best to speak to my cousin first." Kit agreed with this suggestion and then held his tongue. He had said all that he could say, and having placed the Squire on his guard, there was nothing more to be done. Rupert himself did not pursue the conversation further, but walked up and down, musing over what he had heard. For quite five minutes there was silence, and then Dorinda made her appearance, followed by Miss Tollart. The girl looked very pale and anxious. "What does all this mean, Rupert?" she asked nervously. "All what?" "Sophy has told me a strange story," said Dorinda, taking a seat, "and I suppose Kit has told it to you also." Hendle nodded. "Yes. I know that Carrington was in Barship on the night when Leigh was murdered--unless, of course, Dr. Tollart has made a mistake." "My father made no mistake," struck in Sophy, flushing, for she guessed that the Squire was hinting at the doctor's infirmity. "He was quite sober when he came home on that night. I was waiting up for him. He mentioned in quite a casual way that Mr. Carrington had traveled down by the same train, and neither of us thought anything more about the matter, even when we heard next morning about the murder. We thought that Mr. Carrington had come down to see you, Squire, and he certainly was with you the next day." "He was," admitted Rupert quietly, "and his being with me made you believe that what you thought was true. Is it not so?" "In a way. But the real truth is that neither my father nor myself thought anything at all about the matter. Only Mrs. Beatson's hint that Mr. Carrington might possibly be guilty made me remember." "Do you think that the man is guilty?" asked Rupert quickly. Sophy bent her dark brows in a frown and reflected. "I couldn't go into a witness box and swear that he committed the murder," she observed; "but he came down to Barship on that night, and if he did not stay with you, Mr. Hendle, he must have had some strong reason to keep his visit a secret." "Your father can swear to this visit?" "Yes. I asked him again if he remembered Mr. Carrington coming down, and he said that he could. Of course," added Sophy significantly, "I had to ask the question in a way not likely to arouse my father's suspicions as to why it was asked. It is no use letting him know too much, as he might talk. But if necessary he can prove what he told me." Dorinda shivered. "I never liked Mr. Carrington," she observed. "All the same, I can't believe that he murdered Mr. Leigh."