"Because they did not return to where I was; stopped to talk at the stile, no doubt. I waited for ten minutes, and then I heard a man singing and shouting. He came from the town, and could not get over the stile into the lane. I heard him saying something about killing Lovel, and I noted that he held a pistol. At once I went up to him, and found--as I expected from his condition--that it was Dr. Lester." "Quite drunk?" "Senselessly drunk, but able to stumble along. I thought that if he met Lucas in the company of his daughter he might fire at him, so I dismissed all idea of seeing the young people again and devoted myself to getting rid of Dr. Lester. I took the pistol off him, and being quite incapable of resistance, he gave it up readily enough. Then I wheeled him round, and taking his arm, I led him home." "What!" cried Paul, starting up, "did you take him back to his house?" "I attempted to," said Miss Clyde; "but he turned restive, and wanted to go back to the lane. I then coaxed him out into the country, on the road to my own house. But I only got him a very little way when he suddenly became too drunk to stand, so I dragged him into some bushes beside the road, and as it was a fine night, I left him there to recover his senses. I suppose he stayed there till dawn, and then made his way home." "What did you do?" "I put the revolver into my pocket and walked home. The next morning I heard of the murder, and of Dr. Lester's arrest." "Did you hear the shot?" "No; I suppose I was too far on my road homeward to hear it, or else I was not paying attention. At all events, I heard nothing." "Why did you not tell all this to Drek, and prevent the arrest of Lester?" "My friend," said Miss Clyde, gravely, "I was determined to give Dr. Lester a lesson--such a lesson that in future he might restrain himself from indulging in drink. I thought, when I heard that he was arrested, that the thought that he had killed his own child might induce him to take the pledge. If this lesson does not teach him temperance, nothing will; for if I had not taken the pistol off him, he might have killed, if not Milly, at least Lucas. I intended to go to Drek to-morrow and tell him the truth, and get Lester bailed out of gaol." "Your lesson is rather a severe one," said Paul thoughtfully; "but perhaps it is needed. If anything can make a sober man of Lester, his imprisonment on such an awful charge will change him. I remember now that he confessed at the inquest that he met someone, but was too confused to say whether it was a man or a woman. It must have been you." "Yes, it was I, Mr. Mexton. While I was leading him away from the Winding Lane I did not see a soul. As to the red mud on his clothes, you remember I told you how he fell while trying to get over the stile." "I see you can clear Lester," said Paul with emphasis, "but what about Lovel?" "Well," said Miss Clyde interrogatively--"you don't suspect him of the crime?"