"What has occurred?" There was a hard ring in Oakes's voice. It told me to be discreet; I had heard that accent before.
"Mr. Clark, I went down to Lorona last night to see my brother, who is sick. When I returned it was late. I was on horseback, and I noticed a man on the road lighting a lantern. I spoke to him; he would not answer, but started into the timber at the far south end of the grounds."
"Well, what was peculiar?"
"It was Skinner, sir."
"Skinner!"
"Yes, sir; I saw his face by the light. I thought it strange, tied my horse and followed him. He went a long way into the woods to a hut, and waited a couple of hours with the light. Then another man came, and they had a quarrel. There was a terrible noise, and then the light went out and they disappeared. I went back to my horse and have just got here."
"Who was with Skinner?"
"I don't know, sir. I was facing the door of the hut, but it was too dark to see. They worked with a dark lantern."
We had quietly walked our horses up to the gate while listening to Maloney. Oakes's eyes were upon the ground.
Suddenly he looked up. "Thank you very much, Maloney. You have done well in reporting to me. I will see Chief Hallen; this is a matter, perhaps, for the police, certainly not for me, to work on."