The Weekly Journal. — 1902-05-09 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

CHAPTER XVL—Conntutro.  They made way for the baronet, and held their lanterns up for him to see the dead man, who was lying just where Norma had left him, on the short grass. "A stranger, sir, I think," said a man who was kueeling on ono knee beside the body, raising his lantern for the gentleman to see the dead man's face. Aetley said nothing, but he shuddered and turned away with a frown of perplexity on his face. "Who was the first person who found this out?" asked he shortly, with a searching look round. "I was," said Norma, in a hoarse voice. "1 saw a flash and beard a report, and then another flash and another report, and a cry, oh, a horrible cry!" A shudder went round the group, and the women and girls gathered nearer together in the darkness. "What !" cried he aghast. Norma went on: "1 was outside, in the road; when I got over the wall, I could see no one, until—until I came upon—thig.  Her voice sank. Everybody was crowding round, listening intently, when the noise of horse's hoofs suddenly distracted their attention, and in another mihnte the cry of "The doctor !" went round. All made way for the medical man, but Astley made a gesture of annoyance when he found that it was Dr. Wharles whom the messenger had brought. The doctor was dashing through the plantation, and was among them all in a moment. "Make way, my friends, make way," he I cried in his hearty, cheery voice, which struck a strange contrast to the sickly horror which was in everybody's heart. "Dear, dear! This is a bad business! He's I dead, quite dead. Poor fellow!" With just such short pauses as were necessary between the phrases, while he made a rapid examination of the body, the doctor made this pronouncement, which everybody had expected, amid the awed silence of the little crowd. He appeared to be unaware of the presence of Astley, and devoted himeeLf entirely to his duty, with the coolness and nerve begotten of experience. "Poor fellow ! Who is be?" he asked, as he took the nearest lantern and held it dose to the dead man's face.  Quite sharp and clear Norma's voice rang out: "Why, you ought to know, Dr. Wharles, for he called at your hoube yesterday." Everybody was startled by these words, which caubed the doctor to look up. Perhaps he had not noticed that Norma was among the crowd. "Indeed, Lady Darwen," said he, very coolly, "1 don't see how you should know who called upon me better than I do myself! 'There was a sort of feeling that the handsome doctor, whose quarrel with the lady's husband was the talk of the place, had "scored" against Norma, who remained silent for a space, while the doctor asked some further questions as to the person who had discovered the body. When he was told it was the lady whom all now knew for the first time to be Lady Darwen, the doctor turned to her with cool and dignified respectfulness. "And may I ask, Lady Darwen," he said, "whether you did actually see the man shoot himself?"  " Shoot himself:" ethoed she, in surprise. "Yes. To me the position of the wound points to suicide," said Dr. Wharles. "Then where's the pistol ?" said Norma. There was a sort of murmur in the crowd, and the fluent doctor said nothing for a moment. The men and women looked at each other and nodded silently. This time it was Norma, plainly, who had "scored" against the doctor. For the ground had been searched all round the body, and no trace of any weapon had been found.