'suicide.' He had been drinking heavily and acting rather queer the two
or three days he was at the hotel,--it seems. But I am not willing, yet,
to accept the suicide idea as final, because it would be too easy for
him to give things that appearance in order to throw us off; and I can't
get away from the fact that a John-boat that was tied to the bank near
the hotel managed to break loose and drift off down the river that same
night. Working on my theory, we are following down the river, trying
to get trace of either the boat or the man. So far, we haven't heard of
either, which rather strengthens me in my belief that the boat and the
man went away together. He is probably traveling nights, and lying up
under the willows in daylight. But he will be compelled to show himself
somewhere, soon, in order to get something to eat, for he couldn't have
taken much with him, trying, as he was, to create the impression that he
had committed suicide. You have a wonderful view of the river here, Miss
Wakefield."

"Yes, sir; it is beautiful from the porch."

"You spend a good deal of time on the porch, do you?"

"Yes, sir."

"And you would be quite likely to notice any boat passing, wouldn't
you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Could you see a boat at night,--in the moonlight, I mean?"

"I could if it were well out in the middle of the stream, away from the