visitor off. She was alone in the room for a time. She must have taken the weapon." [Pg 52] "No, no; why should she have?" "Because she intended to murder my poor Daisy. It was all arranged in her black heart. Drake," he added solemnly, "I have done my best to believe that woman innocent. I defended her against Daisy, and my wife defended her also. We tried to believe that she had no ill intention, and see—see what comes of it. She steals the stiletto, and kills the child in the most brutal manner. I swear to hunt her down. I swear——!" The rector caught down the uplifted hand which Morley was raising to the heavens. "Be yourself," he said sternly; "there is no need for a man to call upon God to witness a blood-thirsty oath. If the woman is guilty, let her be punished. But give her the benefit of the doubt. Appearances are against her, I admit. All the same, she may be able to prove her innocence." "You might as well talk to the wind as to me. She is a murderess; I'll do my best to have her hanged." Morley spoke with such vehemence that Drake looked closely at him. He wondered if the man had any grudge against Anne Denham that he spoke of her with such bitterness. Certainly her crime was a terrible one, and she deserved to be condemned. But it would only be fair that she should be first tried. Morley, on the contrary, had already judged her, without waiting to hear what she had to say in her own favor. "Well, Mr. Morley, there is nothing more to be said," he remarked coldly, for he disliked this melodrama; "we must wait till the police come in the morning. Meanwhile I shall go to my home and get some sleep." "I can't sleep with that in the house," replied Morley, abruptly rising; "I'll go with you."[Pg 53] [Pg 53] "Where?" "To the churchyard—to the grave. I intend to look for the weapon. It may have been left there—tossed aside by the assassin after the crime." "But the night is dark—the snow is falling. You will not be able to do anything. Be advised, and——" "No. I'll come with you now. If I find nothing, it is all the better for her. If I do——" He shook his hand again fiercely.
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