She shook her head. "Please do not ask me, but as far as this assault on Stephen goes, I am quite with you about Frisco. I hope he will be caught and punished." "You are a strange girl," said Dr. Jim, "and a mystery like the rest." "Who are the rest?" asked Bess smiling. "Well," replied Jim after a pause, "Mrs. Marsh was one, you are another and Pentland Corn is a third--" "Pentland Corn!" she echoed turning pale, "you don't suspect him of--" "I don't suspect him of anything, but I do not understand why he is so intimate with that Mexican." Bess opened her mouth to make a remark, then she changed her mind. "I can say nothing now," she said abruptly, "later on. Ida is with Stephen. Oh, well, I need not wait. I must go into Beorminster. They will be asking for news of this for the paper. I might hear something about Frisco there. If I do I shall let you know. Good-bye!" and before Herrick could stop her she was off like a swallow. Evidently Bess knew something about Corn which she did want to admit at present. Herrick wondered what it could be. Surely she did not think the clergyman had liked Carr so much that he was working for the discovery of his murderer. "But she is doing some detective business on her own account," thought Jim rather vexed. "She will get into trouble if she does not take care. I wish she would let me know what she is up to. I'll wait a week, no longer. After that, she must speak out." But before the week was ended, accident brought about a confession from Bess which Dr. Jim was far from expecting. It arose out of the wooing of Robin Joyce. Whether Manuel had used his influence or not to induce Joyce to leave Saxham, it is impossible to say. If he had, one would have thought that Robin would have resented the interference of his former friend Herrick. But several times during the week he met Dr. Jim, yet made no sign that Santiago had told him of the doctor's wish. He continued to haunt Biffstead and Dr. Jim hardly ever went there without meeting Robin coming or going. This did not make Jim any the more amiable. The accident to Stephen caused great excitement in the country. Bridge came over to see the squire and to interview Dr. Jim. But nothing came of his talk or--so-called vigilance. The police both at Southberry and Beorminster failed to find any trace of Frisco, although the railway stations were watched carefully. Thanks to Herrick's prompt action, it was impossible that the man could have left the district without the knowledge of the police, yet he was not even seen. Bridge went to Heathcroft, but failed to learn that anyone resembling the ex-sailor had boarded a train at that station. To all appearances Frisco had not been in the neighbourhood. Yet if Frisco was not the culprit, who was?