"Yes; but I never gave a thought to mischief. I knew Locksley was in
the wood, and supposed it came from him. I ran across the path, bearing
toward the cottage, and struck into the wood on the other side. By
and by, Dick Hare pitched upon me, like one startled out of his seven
senses, and asked if I had seen Thorn leave the cottage. Thorn--that
_was_ the name."

"And you had not?"

"I had seen nobody but Dick, excepting Locksley. My impression was, that
nobody else was about; I think so still."

"But Richard--"

"Now look you here, Carlyle, I won't do Dick Hare an injury, even by a
single word, if I can help it; and it is of no use setting me on to it."

"I should be the last to set you on to injure any one, especially
Richard Hare," rejoined Mr. Carlyle; "and my motive is to do Richard
Hare good, not harm. I hold a suspicion, no matter whence gathered, that
it was not Richard Hare who committed the murder, but another. Can you
throw any light upon the subject?"

"No, I can't. I have always thought poor wavering Dick was nobody's
enemy but his own; but, as to throwing any light on that night's work,
I can't do it. Cords should not have dragged me to the inquest to give
evidence against Dick, and for that reason I was glad Locksley never let
out that I was on the spot. How the deuce it got about afterward that I
was, I can't tell; but that was no matter; _my_ evidence did not help