breast. He had a vaguely elongated effect, like a shadow, and had,
moreover, a way of standing behind people like one. When he spoke
everybody started and looked around at him.

"I'd like to know what you think did happen to him, Adoniram Judd,"
cried Simon Basset.

"I don't think Abel Edwards ever killed himself," repeated the tall
man, solemnly. His words had weight, for he was a distant relative of
the missing man.

"Do you know of anybody that had anything agin him?" demanded Simon
Basset.

"No, I dun'no' 's I do," admitted the tall man.

"Then what in creation would anybody want to kill him for? Guess they
wouldn't be apt to do it for anything they would get out of Abel
Edwards." Simon Basset chuckled triumphantly; and in response there
was a loud and exceedingly bitter laugh from a man sitting on an old
stool next to him. Everybody started, for the man was Ozias Lamb,
Abel Edwards's brother-in-law.

"What ye laughin' at?" inquired Simon Basset, defiantly; but he edged
his chair away a little at the same time. Ozias Lamb had the
reputation of a very high temper.

"Mebbe," said Ozias Lamb, "somebody killed poor Abel for his
mortgage. I dun'no' of anything else he had." Ozias laughed again.
He was a stout, squat man, leaning forward upon his knees as he sat,