Maister Charlie he ran into the parlor as I was a clearing
away the' tea things, hallowing out as maister was a-killing Ned.
Missis she ran in and I heard a scream, then maister he drove off,
and a minute or two later Maister Ned he went out, and he ain't
come back again. When I went in with the candles I could see missis
had been a crying. That's all I know about it."
"And enough too," the constable said grimly. "This here be a pretty
business. Well, you had best get your missis round and see about
getting the place ready for the corpse. They have gone up with a
stretcher to bring him back. They will be here afore long. I must go
to Justice Thompson's and tell him all about it. This be a pretty
kittle of fish, surely. I be main sorry, but I have got my duty to
do."
An hour later Williams the constable with a companion started out
in search of Ned Sankey, having a warrant in his pocket for his
arrest on the charge of willful murder.
The excitement in Marsden when it became known that Mr. Mulready
had been killed was intense, and it was immensely heightened when
it was rumored that a warrant had been issued for the arrest of his
stepson on the charge of murder. Quite a little crowd hung all day
round the house with closed blinds, within which their so lately
active and bustling townsman was lying.
All sorts of conjectures were rife, and there were many who said
that they had all along expected harm would come of the marriage
which had followed so soon after the death of Captain Sankey.
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