"Let us lay him on the bed," he said, and with the assistance of
the three men he lifted and laid him there.

"He has been stabbed," he murmured, pointing to a small cut in the
middle of the deep stain, just over the heart.

Ramoo, after helping to lift the Squire onto the bed, had slid down
to the floor, and crouched there, sobbing convulsively. The two
servants stood helpless and aghast. Mark looked round the room: the
window was open. He walked to it. A garden ladder stood outside,
showing how the assassin had obtained entrance. Mark stood rigid
and silent, his hands tightly clenched, his breath coming slowly
and heavily. At last he roused himself.

"Leave things just as they are," he said to the men in a tone of
unnatural calmness, "and fasten the door up again, and turn a table
or something of that sort against it on the outside so that no one
can come in. John, do you tell one of the grooms to saddle a horse
and ride down into the town. Let him tell the head constable to
come up at once, and also Dr. Holloway. Then he is to go on to Sir
Charles Harris, tell him what has happened, and beg him to ride
over at once.

"Come, Ramoo," he said in a softer voice, "you can do no good here,
poor fellow, and the room must be closed. It is a heavy loss to
you too."

The Hindoo rose slowly, the tears streaming down his face.

"He was a good master," he said, "and I loved him just as I loved