"Know enough," echoed the housekeeper contemptuously. "Why, ain't you heard all what I've told you? It was the beast as went off on the bike as stabbed my poor master. I saw him bending over the body when I dropped the tray and the glasses and the wine," and Mrs. Vence pointed to the tray and the various fragments of glass on the carpet. "But who is he?" "I dunno. I never saw him afore." "Describe him?" "He was a short man with red hair and rather stout, like me. I couldn't see much of him, as he was muffled up in a long black overcoat with a blue scarf round his mouth and a soft hat pulled over his eyes. I took him to my master into this very room, and was told to bring wine and cake in 1/2 of an hour. I was coming in with the wine, having been waiting on the clock in the kitchen, when I see my poor master dead and him bending over him afore I faints." "It's my opinion that we ought to have a doctor," said Lemby. Jervis agreed with Mr. Lemby; but as Mrs. Vence did not know where any doctor lived, and as he was unable to go himself, and did not intend to let the buccaneer leave the house, it was difficult to know what to do. But here Providence stepped in to extricate the trio from this dilemma. A light, quick step was heard in the hall, and a high, silvery voice called on the housekeeper. "It's that imp, Neddy Mellin, with the washing," said Mrs. Vence, hurrying towards the door. "Don't let the child see the corpse." She was too late. Neddy suddenly shot into the room, smiling and angelic in his looks. But the smile died away when he saw the body. "Crikey!" breathed the lad, turning white, "is the cove a deader?" "You leave the washing in the hall and cut!" commanded the old woman. "How dare you come in by the front door?" "Neddy," said Jervis, who knew the lad well, as did everyone else in Hedgerton, "go to Dr. Quin, and ask him to come here at once." "And I'll give you a shilling," said Lemby, sitting down. "I'm fly," said Neddy, promptly, and reluctantly backed out of the room. He was anxious to earn the shilling, but still more anxious to gaze on the body. "Let me see the deader when I come back," he called out. "Get along with you; get along!" vociferated Mrs. Vence, and chased him out of the front door into the mists. When she turned back after closing the door she glanced at the rosewood table on which Hall had placed the letter. It was gone. There was not a sign of it to be seen. And the front door had been open from the time the man had escaped until now. It was very strange. CHAPTER IV.