‘I must now ask you one or two other questions, captain. There were several men present, were there not?’
‘There were.’
‘They were all young men?’
‘Yes.’
‘And belonged to Edinburgh or its immediate neighbourhood?’
‘They did.’
‘Consequently they were all more or less well acquainted with Maggie?’
‘Yes. I don’t think there was a man there who didn’t ken her. You see, in her way she was a kind of celebrity in Edinburgh. Certain folk said hard things about her, and that made her mad sometimes, so that she took a delight in just showing how she could lead the lads by the nose.’
‘Now, I want you to give me an answer to this question, captain. Is it within your knowledge that out of her many admirers there was one who had been emboldened by her to think that he had the best claim upon her?’
‘I couldn’t say for certain; but it’s likely enough.’