"Distance was no barrier. He would come galloping over at dusk, tie his
horse to a tree in the wood, and pass an hour or two with Afy. In the
house, when her father was not at home; roaming about the woods with
her, when he was."

"Come to the point, Richard--to the evening."

"Hallijohn's gun was out of order, and he requested the loan of mine. I
had made an appointment with Afy to be at her house that evening, and I
went down after dinner, carrying the gun with me. My father called after
me to know where I was going; I said, out with young Beauchamp, not
caring to meet his opposition; and the lie told against me at the
inquest. When I reached Hallijohn's, going the back way along the
fields, and through the wood-path, as I generally did go, Afy came
out, all reserve, as she could be at times, and said she was unable to
receive me then, that I must go back home. We had a few words about it,
and as we were speaking, Locksley passed, and saw me with the gun in my
hand; but it ended in my giving way. She could do just what she liked
with me, for I loved the very ground she trod on. I gave her the gun,
telling her it was loaded, and she took it indoors, shutting me out. I
did not go away; I had a suspicion that she had got Thorn there, though
she denied it to me; and I hid myself in some trees near the house.
Again Locksley came in view and saw me there, and called out to know why
I was hiding. I shied further off, and did not answer him--what were my
private movements to him?--and that also told against me at the inquest.
Not long afterwards--twenty minutes, perhaps--I heard a shot, which
seemed to be in the direction of the cottage. 'Somebody having a late
pop at the partridges,' thought I; for the sun was then setting, and at
the moment I saw Bethel emerge from the trees, and run in the direction
of the cottage. That was the shot that killed Hallijohn."