story. The retelling of these incidents of the afternoon, coupled with
Sexton's evident interest in the narrative, and the questions the man
asked, caused the discoveries made to assume a greater importance than
before. His listener seemed to sense the situation clearly.

"It wasn't no mistake, your goin' out there, sir," he said, confidently.
"What we know now gives us something to work on anyhow, an' it's just
what I thought--that trip Sunday led up to this killin', an' something
happened while they was in there to stir Miss Natalie all up. Now we got
to find this fellow--what did you say his name was, sir?"

"Hobart--Jim Hobart; that is he was known by that name there."

"And you say he has simply dropped out o' sight?"

"That's true; never left a clue behind him."

"Well, sir, I'm not quite so sure about that. You listen to me, sir. I
walked out to Fairlawn from the car-line, an' come in across the fields
to the house. I didn't have no good excuse for goin' back there, sir, an'
was sorter afraid to meet up with Miss Natalie. She might have thought I
was just spyin' 'round. But I didn't have no need for being afraid, for
it seems she'd driven into town about noon, an' hadn't got back. There
wasn't nobody but the servant around the place, sir. Do you remember
Lizzie, the second maid--sorter full face, an' light hair?"

West nodded, wondering what all this might be leading to.

"Well, she an' I always hit it off together, an' I talked with her quite
a bit. She's goin' to quit too, because of something what happened, so it