“I noticed her,” asserted another. “I saw she acted queer.”
“I saw her when she went out,” put in a third, “and I thought it was a crazy thing to do.”
“Without doubt the woman was insane,” declared a pompous fat man.
“She must have been instantly killed.”
“She jumped into the river.”
“Then, she was drowned.”
“Who knows her?”
“She was all alone.”
Frank had been thinking swiftly all the while. He regretted that Bart had been so hasty in making his explanation, and now he resolved to tell as near the truth as possible without contradicting Hodge.
“Gentlemen and ladies,” he said, “I have every reason for believing that the person was a man.”