One circumstance occurred on the morning of the murder that might have appeared strange had the excitement that prevailed permitted any one’s attention to be directed to it.

It was the presence of Mr.Geoffrey Haywood in the street at an unwontedly early hour. About five o’clock he might have been seen standing on the sidewalk in front of his store, looking up and down the street. He was not his usual composed self. He appeared expectant and anxious. He turned to and fro impatiently, and occasionally paced the sidewalk in evident agitation. What was he waiting for?

His manifestations of anxiety were instantly suppressed as he saw a man approaching him.

The man was walking rapidly, and was evidently in extreme agitation. He came from the direction of Elm Grove. It was Barker, the servant of Colonel Conrad.

Mr.Haywood gave no sign of recognition. But a spasm of apprehension passed over his face, followed instantly, however, by a look of resolution. He continued his pacing to and fro.

Barker hurried up to him.

“Oh, Mr.Haywood——” he began.

“Ah, good-morning, Barker. Ifelt unwell during the night, and thought a morning walk might do me good. What brings you down town at such an early hour?”

“Oh, sir, something terrible has happened at Elm Grove!”

“You astonish me. What is it? Is somebody ill?”

“Much worse than that. Colonel Conrad has been murdered.”

“What!”

Mr.Haywood’s astonishment was genuine. His face blanched with horror.

“We found him dead in his study, with an awful cut in his neck.”

“Barker, you terrify me. Tell me all about it. How did it happen?”

“No one knows how it happened, sir. It was done in the dead of night. Miss Florence is fairly wild, and the two women-servants are nearly frightened to death. Icalled in Tom to stay with them, while Iran down town. It’s lucky, sir, that Ihappened to meet you.”

“Well, well, it is awful. Iam nearly overcome. Find some officers, quick, and Iwill go up to the house.”

“Yes, sir. Ithink you’d better go there as quick as you can. I’ll find the officers, and will go to the hotel and rouse the two young men—his nephews—who came to see him yesterday.”

“No, no, do not—but Idon’t know—yes, you may call them. And do not lose any time.”

Barker and Haywood separated, each walking as fast as his footsteps could carry him.

Haywood found the household at Elm Grove plunged in woe. Florence Darley was hovering about the fatal room, alternately half entering and recoiling again. When she beheld Haywood she pointed to where the body of Colonel Conrad reclined, and then sank into a chair and covered her face with her hands, giving way to violent weeping.

Haywood spoke some words of sympathy in a low tone, and hastily entered the study of the late master of Elm Grove. The corpse still sat in the chair, leaning over the table. No one had disturbed it. Haywood took careful note of its position and surroundings, and then called Tom, the stable-keeper whom Barker had mentioned, bidding him also observe closely the situation of things. The two together then lifted the body and placed it on a couch, and, obtaining a sheet, covered it. They were careful not to change the position of any article of furniture.

They then left the room, closing the door after them, and went into the hall where Florence still remained.

Haywood was composed and cool, and had assumed his usual unruffled manner. Tom was silent, though his breath came short and tremulously, and his rough face exhibited grief. He stood ready to render any service that might be required.

“Miss Florence,” said Haywood, “this is truly terrible. But we must be calm. It is scarcely possible that we will not discover the perpetrator of this deed. Officers will be here soon, and they will decide upon the proper course of investigation. Ientreat you not to give way to your feelings. This violent sobbing will injure you, and perhaps interfere with your being of some service. Iwill remain here until the officers arrive.”

He walked through the hall, and out on the piazza, where he took a seat on a rustic chair. He sat perfectly still, and seemed to be lost in meditation. So absorbed was he that he did not notice the approach of Tom, who also came out and stood near him. When, at length, on looking around, he discovered him, he gave a start, and his brow ruffled into a scowl. But he repressed a rising exclamation, and rose and walked to the other end of the piazza.

In a few moments Barker arrived, accompanied by two officers and a coroner. The coroner was Doctor Davison, the physician who, later in the day, paid the professional visit to Carlos.

Haywood rose to meet him.

“Your arrival is welcome, gentlemen,” he said, “though on such sad business. Where are the two young men, Barker?”

“They couldn’t be found, sir. They left town yesterday, and have not returned.”

“Did you go to the hotel?”

“Yes—they have not been seen there.”

Haywood mused, but kept his thoughts to himself.

“What sort of young men were they?” asked one of the officers.

“They were strangers to me,” replied Haywood. “Ibelieve they claimed to be nephews of Colonel Conrad.”

“Well it looks mighty queer. Ahorse and carriage that one of them hired yesterday was found standing by the door of the livery-stable this morning.”

“Indeed! How did you ascertain that?”

“Ipassed by the stable coming up, and the hired man told me.”

“Um-m—doesn’t that look suspicious?”

“How?”

“Oh, never mind. Idon’t wish to bring any accusation against them, but a thought happened to pass through my mind.”

He looked at the officer significantly, and then turned away suddenly, as if dismissing the matter.

But the shadow of a hint was not without its effect. The officer nodded his head knowingly.

“Inow propose,” said Haywood, “that you three gentlemen remain here and take charge of the premises, and, with the aid of Barker and Tom, look around and see if any evidence or clew can be discovered. Iwill go down town. Tom, can you let me have a horse and buggy from the barn? Iam not feeling well this morning.”

The stable-keeper assented, and Mr.Haywood, as soon as the conveyance was ready, drove in the direction of the village.

On arriving in the business streets, he met the express driver, with his horse and wagon, on his way to the depot to catch the early train. Others were also moving about, for the news had spread rapidly. Through the hotel it had gone like wild-fire; and in numerous residences, servants, up and about their morning duties, had heard the intelligence and communicated it to the inmates. Consequently, there were perhaps fifty people up and on the alert, all in a state of excitement, and inquiring eagerly for the particulars of the tragedy.

The express driver stopped and accosted Haywood, who also reined in his horse. Aknot of men instantly gathered around them.

In reply to an avalanche of questions, Mr.Haywood replied to the crowd in general:

“Yes, it is true. Colonel Conrad was murdered last night. His dead body was found this morning. That is all there is of it at present. Nothing whatever is known as to how or by whom the deed was committed.”

“Is any of his gold missing?” asked the express driver.

“No investigation or search has been made yet.”

“Idelivered one of those boxes yesterday.”

“Abox of gold?”

“Yes; said to contain thirty thousand dollars.”

“Ah!” said Haywood. “Perhaps some one saw you deliver it, and was tempted to commit burglary.”

“Idon’t know of but one person that took particular notice of my delivering it, and that was one of the young men who arrived in town two or three days ago, and have been stopping at the hotel. He was riding by the house at the time, and we exchanged a few words about it.”

“What was said?”

“Oh, nothing in particular. He remarked, as he drove on, that it was too much good fortune for one man, or some such words.”

“Then he knew that the box contained gold?”

“Oh, yes; Itold him. The colonel, you know, made no secret of receiving such packages.”

Mr.Haywood knit his brow, and said, as if speaking half to himself:

“That is another singular circumstance.”

“What?” asked some one in the crowd.

“Why, it seems that this young man knew of the presence of the gold in the house, and he cannot be found this morning. His companion (they claimed to be cousins) is also missing, and a horse and buggy that he hired yesterday were found before daylight this morning standing in front of the livery-stable.”

“Ha!” exclaimed one. “It would be well to watch for these young men, and make them give an account of their movements.”

This sentiment found instant echo in the crowd, and was immediately taken up as the burden of their discussions.

Geoffrey Haywood’s solemn expression of countenance gave way, for a mere instant, to a look of satisfaction. But he said, with a sigh:

“Well, gentlemen, Imust be moving on. Ihave enough on my hands this morning. The affair must be probed to the bottom.”

As he drove away, one of the listeners said:

“It’s lucky that the Conrads have such a man as Haywood for their friend. He’ll sift the thing.”

Mr.Haywood’s prowess, and his ability to carry through whatever he undertook, were themes of remark and admiration by numbers of his fellow-citizens.

After leaving the crowd he turned from the main thoroughfare to a street on the left, then to the left again, and finally to the right. He was now on the same street through which Carlos had taken his mad ride in the storm. Looking cautiously around, he muttered to himself:

“Things have taken an unexpectedly fortunate turn. If this crime can be fastened on these two rascally cousins, it will be a most effectual mode of getting them out of my way.”

Then he urged his horse along rapidly, and, after more turns in the road, brought up at the residence of Mr.Jacob Heath—the place where Carlos had so unwillingly staid in the darkness.

Mr.Heath was engaged in some occupation in the back yard, but came around to the front as the carriage stopped. He stared at his visitor in surprise.

“Good-morning, Jake,” said Mr.Haywood.

“Good-morning,” replied the one addressed, with a look of curiosity.

Mr.Haywood, without further ceremony, asked a most singular question:

“Have you seen Snags?”

“No,” replied the other, with a start.

At this juncture Kate Heath appeared at the door.

The conversation between her father and Haywood was therefore carried on in whispers. It lasted some ten minutes.

Finally Haywood said, in a loud voice, with the evident intention that it should be heard by Kate:

“Well, get the sheep all washed as soon as you can, for we want to shear and get the wool in market before the prices drop.”

He then drove off at a furious speed.

“Did you tell him about the stranger that stopped with us during the night?” asked Kate.

“None of your business, girl! You shouldn’t ask questions that don’t concern you.”