“But tell us what you saw.”

“Aweel, then, your worship, I had been hard at wark a’ the day, and could na get awa to see the wedding deecorations.  But after my wark was dune and I had my bit aitmeal cake and parritch, I e’en cam’ my way over the brig to hae a luke at them.”

“Well, and what did you see besides the decorations?”

“An it please your worship, as I cam through the thick shrubbery I spied a lassie, standing under the balcony on the east side o’ the castle wa’.”

“At what hour was this?”

“I dinna ken preceesely.  It may hae been ten o’clock; for I ken the moon was about twa hours high.”

“Ay, well; go on.”

“I hid mysel’ in the firs and watchit the lassie; for I said to mysel’ it wair a tryste wi’ her lad, and I behoove to find out wha they were.  Sae I watchit the lassie.  And presently a tall gallant cam’ up till her, and they spake thegither.  I could na hear what they said.  But anon the tall mon went his ways, and the lassie bided her lane under the balcony.  I wondered at that.  And I waited to see the end.  I waited, it seemed to me, full twa hour.  The moon was weel nigh overhead, when at lang last the gallant cam’ on wi’ anither tall mon.  And they passed sae nigh that I heard their talk.  Spake the gallant:  ’I would na hae had it happened for a’ we hae gained.’  Said the ither ane:  ’It could na be helpit.  The auld mon skreekit.  He would hae brocht the house upon us, and we hadna stappit his mouth.’  And the twa passit out o’ hearing, and sune cam’ to the lassie under the balcony.  And the three talkit thegither, but I just couldna hear a word they spake.  And sae I went my ways home, wondering what it a’ meant.  But I thocht nae muckle harm until the morn when I heerd o’ the murder.”

“Would you know the tall man again if you were to see him?” inquired the coroner.

“Na, for ye ken I could na see a feature o’ his face.”

“Would you know the girl again?”

“Na.  I could na see the lass ony mair than the gallant.”

“Nor the third man?”

“Na, nor the ither ane.”

“Did you hear any name or any place spoken of between the parties?”

“Na, na name, na pleece.  I hae tuld your honor all I heerd.  I heerd no mair than I hae said,” replied the witness.

And the severest cross-examination could not draw anything more from him.

The officials put their heads together and talked in whispers.

This last witness gave, after all, the nearest to a clue of any they had yet received.

The notes of the testimony were put in the hands of the London detective then present.

“Allow me to remind you, sir,” said Lord Arondelle, “that this interview testified to by the last witness, was said to have taken place between ten and twelve at night, and that there is a train for London which stops at Lone at a quarter past twelve.  Would it not be well to make inquiries at the station as to what passengers, if any, got on at Lone?”