death, although the fact reflected on their aim as sharpshooters.  The two wounded men were informed that a magistrates’ court was sitting, but evinced no anxiety to lodge a complaint against any person or persons in connection with their injuries.  The coroner paid Messrs. Johnson and Pawkins their fee as jurymen, and, with the Squire’s permission, invited them to dine at Bridesdale; but they declined the invitation with thanks, and returned, in company, to the bosom of their families.  The lawyer, filled with military zeal as a recruiting officer, seeing that the new Beaver River contingent was armed, asked Carruthers if he had room for them.

“The mair the merrier,” answered the Squire, and bade him invite them.  So Coristine invited the three to dinner, and to help in the support of the justices in the afternoon.  Barney Sullivan said he wasn’t going to leave Ben.  Mr. Bigglethorpe, as a fisherman, had always wanted to see these lakes, and, if it would help the cause of good fishing, he was ready to lend a hand to drive out poachers and pot-hunters.  Pierre doubted how Madame would take his absence; of course there was Bawtiste, but, well yes, for the sake of the poor dead M’syae Nash and Meestare Veelkeenson, he would stay.  Que dommage, Meestare Bulky was not there, a man so intelligent, so clever, so subtle of mind!  Mr. Bigglethorpe was introduced to the drawing-room, but Pierre, though invited, would not enter its sacred precincts.  He accompanied Barney to the kitchen, and was introduced by Ben to the assembled company.  His politeness carried the servants’ quarters by storm, and wreathed the faces of Tryphena and Tryphosa in perpetual smiles.  Mr. Hill and the Sesayder succumbed to his genial influence, and even the disheartened Maguffin, though deploring his poor English and lack of standing colour, confessed to Rufus that “his ways was kind o’ takin’.”

“Squire Carruthers,” said the detective, as they re-entered the office, “there is wen thing you failed to have den at the inquest.”

“What is that, Mr. Bangs?”

“To search the bedy of the men, Herding; bet I attended to thet, and found pore Nesh’s letter to his sister.  Pore Nesh mest hev lost his head for wence, since he trested thet dem villain.  I seppowse there’s no such thing as a kemera ebout here?”

“No; what did you want a camera for?”

“To phowtogreph this Herding; there’s a mystery about him.  Nesh trested him, and he terned out a dem traitor.  Nesh mest hev known him before; he would never trest a stranger so.  Is there no wey of taking his likeness?”

“There’s a young lady staying here, you saw her at breakfast, Miss Du Plessis, who’s very clever with brush and pencil, but it’s no’ a very pleasant task for a woman.”

“No, but in the interests of jestice it might be well to risk offending her.  If you will reintroduce me more formally, I will esk the lady myself.”

Mr. Bangs was escorted to the garden, where the lady in question was actually sketching Marjory and the young Carruthers in a variety of attitudes.  To the Squire’s great astonishment, she professed her readiness to comply with the detective’s desire in the afternoon, if somebody could be left to accompany her to the post office adjunct.