Hagar's courage returned the instant she perceived that the advantage was on my side. "Don't let him go," she said, and stepped forward.
The fellow started at the sound of her voice and looked at her with an expression of the bitterest malignity.
"Stop, you," I cried.
He faced me, laughed again with his former deliberate coolness and paused as if about to return. "Very well," he said slowly, with a shrug of indifference; and then, before I could guess his purpose, he sprang backwards to the door and rushed out.
As a matter of fact I was much relieved by his departure; but Hagar flew into a passion and reproached me bitterly for having allowed him to escape. "He murdered my father and will kill me," she cried. "You should have shot him."
It was clear from this that her agitation had been too great to admit of her understanding the purport of what had passed while the three men were together in the room.
I did not stay to explain matters and let her reproaches pass without reply. "We must have the police here at once," I said. "You had better come with me."
We went out to the front door, and seeing a police officer at a little distance, I called him and told him what had occurred.
He came in with us and made a rapid examination of the dead man. "He has been dead some time. When did it occur?"
I told him all I knew of the affair: that Hagar had found her father dead; had fled from the house in fear; had taken me back; and the cause of our delay in telling the police, adding such a description as I could of the men.